Promotion of water in BPL-catalyzed asymmetric cross aldol reaction

Bovine pancreatic lipase (BPL) is reported to catalyze direct asymmetric aldol reactions between aromatic aldehydes and cyclic ketones in water at 50 °C, and water can greatly promote the catalytic activity and selectivity of BPL. A wide range of aromatic aldehydes reacted with cyclic ketones to provide the corresponding aldol products with high yields (up to 93.7%) and moderate to good stereoselectivity (up to 99% ee and 1:99 dr).