A new preparative method for enantiomerically pure 1,1'-bi-2-naphthols is described. 1,1'-Bi-2-naphtholboric anhydride generated from the reaction of racemic 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol and boric acid in toluene is reacted with (S)-proline to produce 1,1'-bi-2-naphtholboric proline anhydride. Its two diastereomers were efficiently separated in THE After treating successively with NaOH, HCl, and recrystallizing from benzene, enantiomerically pure (S)and (R)-1,1'-bi-2-naphthol were obtained in 71-79% yield and in 62-74% yield, respectively. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.