Enzymatic access to homochiral 1-acetoxy-2-hydroxycyclohexane-3,5-diene through lipase-assisted acetylation in organic solvent

Enantiotoposelective acetylation of cis-1,2-dihydroxycyclohexa-3,5-diene with vinyl acetate in tert-butyl methyl ether, promoted by immobilized lipase from Mucor miehei (Lipozyme® IM), afforded (1R,2S)-1-acetoxy-2-hydroxycyclohexa-3,5-diene in good chemical yield and high enantiomeric excess.