Enzymatic Synthesis of Chiral Building Blocks from Prochiral Substrates: Enantioselective Synthesis of Monoalkyl Malonates

Abstract

The enantioselective hydrolysis of the prochiral malonic ester 1 to the chiral monoesters 2 has been accomplished with porcine liver esterase. Selective secondary reactions at the ester or the carboxy group open up the directed entery to both enantiomeric series of potential target molecules.