Lipase-catalyzed remote kinetic resolution of arylic nitriles with adjacent quaternary chiral center and the determination of their absolute configuration

Enzymatic resolution of tertiary arylic nitrile alcohols (1–8) by lipases from Pseudomonas cepacia (PCL), Pseudomonas flurescens (LAK, made by Amano Enzyme Co. Ltd.), Pseudomonas fluorescens (PFL) and Candida rugosa (CRL) were described, and the absolute configuration of the resolved chiral alcohols (1–8) were determined by chemical transformations to the compounds with known configuration.