Kinetic resolution of (R,S)-pyrazolides containing substituents in the leaving pyrazole for increased lipase enantioselectivity

With hydrolysis of (R,S)-azolides in water-saturated methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) via Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) as the model system, (R,S)-pyrazolides containing a leaving 3-, 4- or 3,4-substituted-pyrazole moiety are selected as the best substrates for preparing various optically pure carboxylic acids containing an α-chiral center. Great improvements of enzyme activity for the (R)-enantiomers with excellent enantioselectivity (VR/VS > 100) are obtainable, if (R,S)-pyrazolides containing a leaving 3- or 3,4-substituted-pyrazole moiety are employed for the hydrolysis or alcoholysis by methanol in anhydrous MTBE. A detailed kinetic analysis for (R,S)-N-2-phenylpropionylpyrazoles indicates that a bulky 3-substituent such as 3-(3-bromophenyl) or 3-(2-pyridyl) in the leaving pyrazole moiety has profound effects on decreasing the nucleophilic attack and proton transfer of catalytic serine for the slow-reacting enantiomer in anhydrous MTBE, as well as that and substrate affinity for both enantiomers in water-saturated MTBE. The resolution platform is also successfully applied to the hydrolysis of (R,S)-pyrazolides in water-saturated cyclohexane via Candida rugosa lipase (Lipase MY) having opposite enantioselectivity to CALB.