Synthesis and lipase-catalyzed resolution studies on novel (±)-2-(2-acetoxyethyl)-4-arylmethyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazine-6-carboxylates

Five novel methyl (±)-2-(2-acetoxyethyl)-4-arylmethyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazine-6-carboxylates have been synthesized and their lipase-catalyzed resolution via stereoselective deacetylation of acetoxyethyl moiety present in the molecule studied. It has been observed that Novozyme®-435 in THF efficiently catalyses the enantioselective deacetylation of these acetoxyethyl dihydrobenzoxazines leading to the formation of optically enriched methyl (+)-4-arylmethyl-2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazine-6-carboxylates. The biocatalytic reaction was found to be chemoselective alongwith being enantioselective, because the lipase exclusively catalyses the deesterification of the ester function derived from the alcoholic hydroxy moiety in the molecule over the one derived from the aromatic carboxylic acid group.