The optical resolution of (±)-2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(1-pyrenyl)ethanol was achieved by using lipases. In particular, Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipase (lipase LIP) showed high enantioselectivity (E = > 100) and reactivity in the alcoholysis of the chloroacetyl ester of the title compound. The reactivity of the lipase LIP-catalyzed enantioselective alcoholysis of the chloroacetate with 1-hexanol was much higher than that of the acetylating the alcohol with vinyl acetate.