Enantioselective acylation of 2-hydroxymethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofurans catalysed by lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia (Amano PS) and total stereoselective synthesis of (-)-(R)-MEM-protected arthrographol

Lipase Amano PS catalysed acylation of (+/-)-2-hydroxymethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofurans using vinyl acetate as the acyl donor in n-hexane gave (-)-(R)-2-acetoxymethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzo and (+)-(S)-2-hydroxymethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofurans in high enantiomeric excess. (-)-(R)-Acetate 18j is converted to (-)-(R)-MEM-protected arthrographol 22. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.