Lipase-catalyzed synthesis of ethyl (<i>R</i>)-2-benzyloxy-2-isopropylhydrogenmalonate: a useful combination of chemical synthesis with enzymatic methods

Ethyl (R)-2-benzyloxy-2-isopropylhydrogenmalonate is a key intermediate for the synthesis of the side chain in ergopeptines. In this work, we adopted a method to prepare enantiomerically pure title monoester via immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B (Novozym 435)-catalyzed hydrolysis of the corresponding diester. Novozyme 435 catalyzed hydrolysis reaction to prepare the key intermediate for the synthesis of peptide side chain of ergopeptides.</p