method for chiral secondary alcohols has been developed. Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley-Oppenauer catalysts such as neodymium(III) isopropoxide are able to racemise these alcohols with retention of other stereocentres in the molecule. This is particularly useful for the recycling of the undesired products of kinetic resolutions of alcohols. By combination of such a racemisation with an acylation using isopropenyl