Asymmetric hydrolysis of pro-chiral 3,3-disubstituted 2,4-diacetoxycyclohexa-1,4-dienes

Abstract

Asymmetric enzymatic hydrolysis of pro-chiral 3,3-disubstituted 2,4-diacetoxycyclohexa-1,4-dienes 2 affords in high yields optically pure 2,2-disubstituted 3-acetoxycyclohex-3-enones 1 (>98% ee). Under mild conditions Candida cylindracea lipase (enzyme/substrate ratio = 2%) hydrolyses specifically the pro-S enol ester function of the pro-chiral starting material 2.