Chemoenzymatic synthesis of both enantiomers of 3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethylcyclohexanone

The stereoselective acetylation of meso-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-cyclohexanediol by vinyl acetate in the presence of three lipases gave the (1R,3S)-monoester in high enantiomeric excess (ee > or = 98%). The hydrolysis of the corresponding meso-diacetate in the presence of Candida antarctica lipase in phosphate buffer provided the opposite enantiomer. Optically active monoacetates were converted to both enantiomers of 3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethylcyclohexanone, a versatile chiral building block.