Lipase-mediated asymmetric construction of 2-arylpropionic acids: Enantiocontrolled syntheses of S-naproxen and S-ibuprofen

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0957-4166(97)00237-1

A general and enantiocontrolled synthetic route to 2-arylpropionic acids, represented by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs S-naproxen 1a and S-ibuprofen 1b, has been developed by employing the lipase-mediated asymmetric acetylation of prochiral 2-aryl-1,3-propanediol 3, which has been derived via a Heck reaction, as the key step.