Enzymatic resolution of alkyn-3-ols in non-aqueous medium

Summary Resolution of alkyn-3-ols has been achieved using a lipase from Candida rugosa to esterify the alcohols with trifluoroethyl butyrate in hexane to give the (S)-alcohols and the (R)-esters. Subsequent reacylation of the product alcohols and alcoholysis of the esters with 1-butanol furnished the (S)-alcohols with good (86–91% ees) and the (R)-butyrate with moderate enantiomeric purities (62–64% ees).