a t linaginosa lipase porcine liver lipase p stutzeri lipase and mucor miehei lipase in a class of the invention the enzyme is candida antarctica lipase b in one embodiment of the invention the process is run as a fed batch reaction the fed batch reaction is carried out in a temperature controlled stirred tank reactor where agitation is carried out with overhead stirring via a pitched blade impeller this agitation needs to be sufficient to suspend the immobilized enzyme resin in a class of the invention the fed batch reaction is carried out at a temperature of about 50 u00b0 to about 65 u00b0 c in a subclass of the invention the fed batch reaction is carried out at a temperature of about 65 u00b0 c the fed batch reaction can be carried out in an organic solvent such as mtbe thf dmf toluene ch 3 cn and mixtures thereof in a class of the invention the fed batch reaction is carried out in mtbe with the fed batch reaction it is preferable to always maintain a high enzyme to substrate ratio and to feed the substrate over time as opposed to a higher starting concentration of substrate to minimize background ethanolysis and hydrolysis in another embodiment of the invention the process is a continuous plug flow column reaction the immobilized enzyme is slurried in mtbe and then packed into the column under atmospheric pressure two feed solutions are made the first solution comprising an azalactone of formula ii and a second solution comprising amine base and etoh in a class of the invention the amine base is triethylamine dbu 2 6 lutidine or dabco in a subclass of the invention the amine base is triethylamine with the column reaction it is preferable to keep the two feeds.