Resolution of 1-(2-naphthyl)ethanol by a combination of an enzyme-catalyzed kinetic resolution with a fluorous triphasic separative reaction.

[reaction: see text] Kinetic resolution of a fluorous ester rac-1 with Candida antarctica B lipase provided a mixture of enantioenriched alcohol (R)-2 and fluorous ester (S)-1. The mixture was subjected to a fluorous triphasic reaction to give both enantiomers of 1-(2-naphthyl)ethanol 2 in high ee without chromatographic separation or fluorous-organic liquid-liquid extractive purification.