Application of Chemoenzymatic Hydrolysis in the Synthesis of 2-Monoacylglycerols

• Published in: Tetrahedron
• Main Authors: Whitten, Kyle M., Makriyannis, Alexandros, Vadivel, Subramanian K.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Article; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3398708; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22822273; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tet.2012.04.101

The selective biocatalyzed synthesis of 2-monoacylglycerols (2-MAGs) through the use of commercially available immobilized Candida antarctica (Novozym435) and Rhizomucor miehei is explored. Reactions at room temperature result in the formation of a 2-MAG and a corresponding ethyl ester of the fatty acid with immobilized Candida antarctica within 2h with yields ranging from 36%–83%. Similar reaction conditions with immobilized Rhizomucor miehei yielded exclusively the 2-MAG after 24h with yields ranging from 37% to 88%. Yields vary on the acyl group at the sn-2 position and choice of enzyme involved.