Derivatives of 1-phenoxy-2-alkanols were kinetically resolved by esterification with irreversible and reversible acyl donors using lipase B from Candida antarctica (Novozyme 435) as a catalyst. To optimize the relative rate of reaction (the E-value), esterifications in eight different solvents with different water activities were performed. For 3-bromo-1- phenoxy-2-propanol (1), the E-values in all the solvents were higher when the water ...