Access to optically active 2,2'-dihydroxy-6,6'-dimethoxy-1,1'-biphenyl by a simple biocatalytic procedure

Lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia was found to catalyze acetylation in tert-butyl methyl ether of the title alcohol 1. The action of four different P. cepacia preparations was compared, all possessing high steric recognition, that results in an efficient kinetic resolution of this atropisomeric biphenyl.