Lipase-catalyzed resolution of 5-acetoxy-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene. Application to the synthesis of (+)-(3R,4S)-cis-4-hydroxy-6-deoxyscytalone, a metabolite isolated from Colletotrichum acutatum

(+)-cis-4-Hydroxy-6-deoxyscytalone, a natural product bio-synthesized by Colletotrichum sp., has been prepared and its absolute configuration confirmed as 3R,4S, the key step being a kinetic racemic resolution of a cis-diol easily obtained from commercial 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-1,5-diol. Four lipases and different reaction conditions were tested in order to obtain the best yield and enantiomeric excess. Confirmation of absolute configuration was made by NMR using a single-derivatization low-temperature procedure and MPA as the auxiliary reagent.