An enantioselective synthesis of lometrexol (1) which utilizes (SR)-2-piperidone 18 as a key intermediate is described. Lipase-catalyzed enantioselective esterification of 1, 3- propanediol derivative 5 provided (R)-(+)-6, the absolute configuration of which was established by X-ray analysis of the (SI-(a-methylbenzy1) carbamate derivative 8. By suitable choice of functional group protection strategies,(R)-(+)-6 could be converted to ...