Lipase‐Catalyzed Irreversible Transesterifications Using Enol Esters as Acylating Reagents: Preparative Enantio‐ and Regioselective Syntheses of Alcohols, Glycerol Derivatives, Sugars, and Organometallics.

Lipase-catalyzed transesterification of the prochiral symmetric dialcohol (I) in an organic medium yields the optically active monoacetate (S)-(III) together with the diacetate (IV); the isopropenyl alcohol freed from (II) during the transesterification rapidly tautomerizes to volatile acetone, making the process irreversible and simpler for product isolation.