Secondary alcohols act as better nucleophiles than primary alcohols in the lipase-catalyzed regioselective deacylation of dihydroxybenzenes acylated at both phenolic hydroxyls

Candida antarctica lipase B (CAL-B) was found to be highly regioselective as well as active in the deacylation of resorcinols and hydroquinones acylated at both phenolic hydroxyls. Contrary to expectation, secondary alcohols acted as better nucleophiles than primary alcohols in these enzymatic deacylations.