Biocatalytic synthesis of chiral N-(2-hydroxyalkyl)-acrylamides

Abstract

The preparation of a series of novel chiral N-(2-hydroxylalkyl)-acrylamides through a lipase-catalyzed resolution of racemic alkanolamines is described. The absolute stereochemistry and enantiomeric excess of the products were determined by a modified Mosher's method. The method was validated for this particular case by the synthesis of an enantiomerically pure product. Moreover, the stereoselective behavior of the lipase in this reaction is discussed.