Abstract Potential acylating agents containing pendant ionic groups have been screened for the enzymatic kinetic resolution of rac-secondary alcohols in ionic liquids with CAL-B as biocatalyst. This study has allowed the identification of the 1-methyl-3-alkylimidazolium cation attached to a carboxylate group through a C 10-alkyl chain as an efficient acylating agent for this transformation. This strategy was applied to the resolution of 2- ...