Novozym-435-catalyzed enzymatic separation of racemic propargylic alcohols. A facile route to optically active terminal aryl propargylic alcohols

Novozym-435 (a form of Candida antarctica lipase B) was found to be an effective biocatalyst for the kinetic resolution of a variety of racemic terminal aryl propargylic alcohols affording highly optically active (S)-propargylic alcohols and (R)-propargylic alcohol acetates in high yields and good ees. The advantages of this reaction are the easy availability of starting materials and the biocatalyst, simple reaction conditions, easy operation and high stereoselectivity.