Chemoenzymatic synthesis of optically active heterocyclic homoallylic and homopropargylic alcohols

A chemoenzymatic methodology has been developed using indium-mediated allylation of heterocyclic aldehydes under aqueous conditions followed by Pseudomonas cepacia lipase-catalyzed enantioselective acylation of racemic homoallylic and homopropargylic alcohols in organic media. It is observed that the lipase immobilized on ceramic particles (PS-C Amano 11) catalyzes the resolution in a highly enantioselective manner in less time as compared to the native enzyme (PS Amano). The approach provides new functionalized chiral synthons useful in the synthesis of natural and pseudonatural products. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.