New enzymatic and chemical approaches to enantiopure etodolac

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(97)10242-3

(+)- and (-)-etodolac enantiomers were prepared both by classical resolution via crystallisation of diastereoisomeric salts with (+) and (-)-α-methylbenzylamine, and by suitable manipulation of derivatives (-)-3- and (+)-4, obtained by lipase-catalysed kinetic resolution of racemic 3. X-ray diffraction analysis of the 4-bromobenzoate derivative of (+)-3, obtained from enantiopure acetate (+)-4, allowed us to determine the absolute (R) configuration of (-)-etodolac.