Selectivity of Candida antarctica B lipase toward fatty acid and (Iso)propanol substrates in esterification reactions in organic media.

Fatty acid (FA) selectivity of immobilized Candida antarctica B lipase was assessed as influenced by various cosubstrate systems for ester synthesis. Reaction mixtures contained a homologous series of even-chain n-acyl donor (C(4)(-)(16)) substrates (FA or their methyl esters, FAME) and a single alcohol cosubstrate (propanol, 2-propanol, or their acetate derivatives) in hexane. Multiple FA optima were often observed, with preferences for C(6) (or C(4)) followed by C(14) and sometimes C(10). The degree of selectivity among acyl donors was modest (up to 1.28-2.60, based on ratios of selectivity constants) and was dependent on the choice of cosubstrate system. Acyl group selectivity ranged up to 1.31-1.36 for [FA + alcohol], 1. 48-2.60 for [FAME + alcohol], 1.30-1.72 for [FA + alcohol acetate], and 1.28-1.88 [FAME + alcohol acetate] reaction systems. General shifts in selectivity were observed between short-chain (C(4)(-)(8)) and long-chain (C(10)(-)(16)) FA as groups with propanol cosubstrate, whereas shifts in reaction selectivity were observed toward specific FA(s) for 2-propanol cosubstrate. Selectivity among a series of alcohol cosubstrates ranged up to 13-fold in esterification reactions with C(6) FA.

Selectivity of Rhizomucor miehei lipase as affected by choice of cosubstrate system in ester modification reactions in organic media.

Fatty acid (FA) selectivity of immobilized Rhizomucor miehei lipase was determined for various cosubstrate systems for ester modification involving competing n-acyl-donor substrates of even-chain length (C4-C16; FA or their methyl esters, FAME) and either n-propanol or propyl acetate in hexane. Acyl-chain-length optima were observed for C8 and C14/16 in all cases. Upon changing between cosubstrate systems of [FA + propanol] to [FAME + propanol] to [FAME + propyl acetate], there was a general shift in selectivity toward shorter-chain-length FA (C4-C8). The greatest degree of reaction selectivity (based on ratios of selectivity constants) among the FA substrates was 3.1 for the [FA + propanol], 2.5 for the [FAME + propanol], and 1.4 for the [FAME + propyl acetate] cosubstrate systems. For esterification reactions between C6 FA and reactive members of a series of aliphatic and aromatic alcohols, the greatest degree of selectivity observed was 3.6.