1-Hydroxy-3-methyl-2,3-dihydroindene and 1-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetra-hydronaphthalene derivatives were kinetically resolved with lipases by transesterification using vinyl esters or butyric anhydride as acyl donors. These results are discussed in considering the influence of acyl donors and with reference to Prelog’s proposal that certain enzymes exhibit ’product stereospecificity’.