Enzymatic production and physicochemical characterization of uncommon wax esters and monoglycerides

• Published in: Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society
• Main Authors: Multzsch, Raimund, Lokotsch, Wolfram, Steffen, Beate, Lang, Siegmund, Metzger, Jürgen O., Schäfer, Hans J., Warwel, Siegfried, Wagner, Fritz
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1994
• Subjects: Brewster; Langmuir; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf02541428; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1007/BF02541428

Abstract Wax esters from fatty alcohols and uncommon fatty acids were synthesized in yields up to 90% when commercially available microbial lipases from Rhizomucor miehei (Lipozyme ™ ) and Candida antarctica (SP 435) were used with limited water content in nonpolar solvents under mild conditions. The corresponding fatty acids were prepared by chemical conversion of naturally occurring resources (agricultural surpluses). Also, when phenylboronic acid was added as solubilizing agent in a nonpolar solvent, the direct enzymatic monoacylation of glycerol with uncommon fatty acids was successful. The measurement of π/A‐isotherms by means of a Langmuir film balance indicated medium film pressures, medium or large molecular areas, and interesting phase behavior. The monolayer of a wax ester at the air/water interface could be directly visualized by Brewster angle microscopy.