Bile acids represent a cheap and readily available class of chiral host molecules for the direct resolution of guest racemates.1 The procedure is based on the ability of the bile acids, in particular of cholic and deoxycholic acids, to incorporate enantioselectively within their molecular structure one of the two forms of the racemic guest, thus allowing separation and recovery of both enantiomers. Examples include the resolution of organic sub- strates such as lactones,2 ...
