Practical procedures have been developed for the enantioselective reduction of 2. acetylfuran (6a) and 2-(trifluoroacety1) furan (6b) to the corresponding carbinols (S)-1 and 7b with 88-90% ee using Thermoanaerobium brockii alcohol dehydrogenase coupled with an NADPH regeneration system. Kinetic resolution of racemic (S)-1 via lipase-catalyzed esterification, followed by cholesterol esterase or lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of the ester ...