Preparations of bicyclic chiral lactone synthons via stereospecific pig liver esterase-catalysed hyderolyses of meso-diesters. Ring-size induced reversal of stereospecificity

Abstract

Stereospecific pig liver esterase-catalysed hydrolysis of monocyclic meso-1,2-diesters provides a convenient preparative route to both enantiomers of useful chiral lactones and demonstrates a sharply defined and unprecedented ring-size-mediated reversal of stereospecificity.