Regioselective enzymatic acylation of beta-L-2'-deoxynucleosides: application in resolution of beta-D/L-2'-deoxynucleosides.

[reaction: see text] A practical synthesis of beta-L-3'- and beta-L-5'-O-levulinyl-2'-deoxynucleosides has been described for the first time through enzymatic acylation and/or hydrolysis processes. It is noteworthy that the different behavior exhibited by Pseudomonas cepacia lipase in the acylation of D- and L-nucleosides allows the parallel kinetic resolution of D/L-nucleosides.