First lipase catalysed resolution of epoxy enol esters

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/j.tetlet.2006.06.009

We report the first enzyme-catalysed kinetic resolution of epoxy enol esters. The lipase-promoted hydrolysis of these compounds provided α-hydroxyketones or α-hydroxyaldehydes (arising from the spontaneous rearrangement of the epoxy enols) and the residual esters with moderate to good enantioselectivity (E up to 100).