| Abstract: | Enantioselective biocatalysis in nonaqueous media is becoming increasingly important in preparative synthetic chemistry. This article discusses (1) the general catalytic properties of enzymes in nonaqueous environments, (2) the basic principles that govern lipase-catalyzed enantioselective esterification and transesterification reactions in organic media for the preparation of optically active acids and alcohols, (3) the determination of kinetic and thermodynamic parameters, and (4) the quantitative analysis of published data. |
