Lipases in asymmetric transformations: Recent advances in classical kinetic resolution and lipase–metal combinations for dynamic processes

Abstract The importance of chiral organic intermediates in various industrial sectors cannot be underestimated. Lipases and their use in combination with metal catalysts is a promising and facile approach to obtain enantiomerically pure chiral intermediates like alcohols and amines. The area of lipase-mediated kinetic resolution (KR) and its dynamic counterpart (dynamic kinetic resolution, DKR) employing lipases and metal based racemization catalysts has shown extensive and stimulating advances in the recent years. The present review highlights the recent progress in this field pertaining to the development of transition metal based racemization catalysts for utilization in DKR protocols and also widening of the application for a range of chiral alcohols and amines that are employed as substrates in lipase catalyzed KR. In addition, the developments in the lipase catalyzed protocols to access other chiral intermediates such as esters, amides, aminoacids etc and their derivatives are also discussed.