Chemoenzymatic One-Pot Synthesis of both (R)- and (S)-Aryl-1,2-ethanediols

Both enantiomers of various 1-aryl-1,2-ethanediols have been prepared in a one-pot method from the corresponding arylethanones through the combination of chemical and enzymatic reactions. A range of aryl groups, phenyl, 4-chlorophenyl, benzo[b]thiophene-3-yl, and benzofuran-2-yl, were used. The highly enantiomerically enriched (R)- and (S)-1-aryl-1,2-ethanediols were obtained with excellent yields, calculated for the arylethanones.