The Influence of Microwave Irradiation on Lipase-Catalyzed Kinetic Resolution of Racemic Secondary Alcohols

Abstract

The influence of microwave irradiation on the Novozyme 435® (Candida antarctica lipase) catalyzed kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols with different functional groups was studied in comparison to the use of conventional heating at 60 °C. p-Chlorophenyl acetate was used as an acyl donor and toluene as the solvent. (±)-1-Phenyl-1-propanol 1, (±)-1-(4-bromophenyl)-propan-1-ol 3, (±)-1-phenylbut-3-en-1-ol 5 and (±)-3-bromo-2-(2-hydroxypropyl)-1,4-dimethoxynaphthalene 7 were successfully resolved into their (S)-alcohols and (R)-esters, respectively, in good enantiomeric excess. Resolution of (±)-ethyl-5-(4-methoxybenyloxy)-3-hydroxypentanoate 9 afforded its (R)-alcohol and (S)-ester using this method. In addition, microwave-assisted lipase transesterification of meso-symmetric diol 11 effected desymmetrization to ester 12 with high enantiomeric excess. In all cases studied, the conversion value for the microwave-assisted lipase kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols was higher than that obtained using conventional heating.