Research on the pig liver esterase (PLE)-catalyzed kinetic resolution of half-esters derived from prochiral diesters

The pig liver esterase (PLE)-catalyzed kinetic resolution of half-esters derived from prochiral diesters is described. Generally, the PLE-catalyzed enantioselective hydrolysis of prochiral diesters affords the corresponding half-esters in high yield, because further hydrolysis of the half-esters does not typically occur. However, we found that some half-esters undergo PLE-catalyzed hydrolysis when they are gradually added to a PLE suspension in a potassium phosphate buffer at pH 8.0 via a syringe pump, leading to the kinetic resolution of the half-esters.