Chemoenzymatic synthesis of enantiomerically pure terminal 1,2-diols

A new practical method for the enzymatic synthesis of 1,2-diols has been developed by employing a lipase catalyzed one-pot transesterification protocol. A series of substituted -acetoxyphenylethanones 3a–g have been reduced to the corresponding alcohols under mild conditions employing sodium borohydride and moist neutral alumina, and further subjected for lipase catalyzed irreversible transesterification in the same pot to give mono- and diacetate diols (R)-4 and (S)-5, which on hydrolysis afforded terminal 1,2-diols, (R)- and (S)-6 in high enantiomeric excess.