The synthesis of both enantiomers of 1, 4-benzodioxan-2-carboxylic acid 1, a key synthetic intermediate for the therapeutic agents piperoxan, prosympal, dibozane, and doxazosin was achieved with good yields and high enantioselectivities via the Arthrobacter sp. lipase catalyzed kinetic resolution of ester (±)-17a. The influence of the co-solvents and the immobilization of the lipase upon kinetic resolution demonstrated that immobilized whole ...