Direct enzymatic route for the preparation of novel enantiomerically enriched hydroxylated beta-amino ester stereoisomers

Enantiomerically enriched hydroxy-substituted beta-amino esters have been synthesized through CAL-B-catalyzed enantioselective hydrolysis in organic media. Moderate to good enantiomeric excess values (ee > or = 52%) were obtained when the CAL-B-catalyzed reactions were performed in t-BuOMe, at 60 degrees C with 0.5 equiv. of added H(2)O as nucleophile.