Selected chiral alcohols: Enzymic resolution and reduction of convenient substrates

Selected synthetic ways of preparation of chiral alcohols are reviewed. In this review, special attention is focused on preparation of enantiomerically pure cycloalkanols by employing enzymic processes, which are considered to be advanced for their sustainable and ‘green’ nature. Selected processes reviewed are: (a) enzymic resolution through transesterification of racemic alcohols, (b) enzymic resolution through hydrolysis of convenient racemic esters, and (c) enzymic reduction of prochiral ketones. Principles of prediction of the absolute configuration of the products are presented. Due to a number of recent reviews on this topic only a limited number of examples are shown in this review.