Lipase mediated chiral resolution of 4-arylthio-2-butanol as an intermediate for β-lactam antibiotics

This paper deals with chiral enzymatic resolution of 4-arylthio-2-butanols by lipase to prepare potential intermediates of beta-lactam antibiotics. Among several lipases employed, lipase P type enzyme gave the highest ee value to prepare (R)-4-arylthio-2-butyl acetate. The enzymatic resolution of phenyl substituted alcohol (6a) using lipase P showed the highest ee value (99.7%) among those of 4-arylthio-2-butanol derivatives. Lipase P mediated hydrolysis of acylester 7a gave also (R)-alcohol 6a selectively. For determination of enantiomeric purity of these enzymatic resolved analytes, liquid chromatographic analysis was performed using two coupled Chiralcel OD and (R,R)-WhelkO chiral column.