Abstract The hydrolysis of a series of norbornane-type carboxylic esters catalyzed by pig liver esterase (PLE) has been investigated. It was found that an exo-eer function (syn to the C7 methylene group) is hydrolyzed with high preference. Enantioselective hydrolysis can be accomplished when a vicinal carbonyl-containing function (eer, formyl, acetyl) is present in a trans position with respect to the exo eer. The regiospecificity of the enzymatic hydrolysis ...