An investigation into the factors influencing lipase-catalyzed intramolecular lactonization in microaqueous systems

Chemoenzymatic macrocycle synthesis using resorcylic acid lactone thioesterase domains

A key missing tool in the chemist's toolbox is an effective biocatalyst for macrocyclization. Macrocycles limit the conformational flexibility of small molecules, often improving their ability to bind selectively and with high affinity to a target, making them a privileged structure in drug discovery. Macrocyclic natural product biosynthesis offers an obvious starting point for biocatalyst discovery via the native macrocycle forming biosynthetic mechanism. Herein we demonstrate that the thioesterase domains (TEs) responsible for macrocyclization of resorcylic acid lactones are promising catalysts for the chemoenzymatic synthesis of 12- to 18-member ring macrolactones and macrolactams. The TE domains responsible for zearalenone and radicicol biosynthesis successfully generate resorcylate-like 12- to 18-member macrolactones and a 14-member macrolactam. In addition these enzymes can also macrolactonize a non-resorcylate containing depsipeptide, suggesting they are versatile biocatalysts. Simple saturated omega-hydroxy acyl chains are not macrocyclized, nor are the alpha-beta unsaturated derivatives, clearly outlining the scope of the substrate tolerance. These data dramatically expand our understanding of substrate tolerance of these enzymes and are consistent with our understanding of the role of TEs in iterative polyketide biosynthesis. In addition this work shows these TEs to be the most substrate tolerant polyketide macrocyclizing enzymes known, accessing resorcylate lactone and lactams as well as cyclicdepsipeptides, which are highly biologically relevant frameworks.

Macrocyclic Oligoesters Incorporating a Cyclotetrasiloxane Ring

Macrocyclic oligoester structures based on a cyclotetrasiloxane core consisting of tricyclic (60+ atoms) and pentacycylic (130+ atoms) species were identified as the major components of a lipase-mediated transesterification reaction. Moderately hydrophobic solvents with log P values in the range of 2-3 were more suitable than those at lower or higher log P values. Temperature had little effect on total conversion and yield of the oligoester macrocycles, except when a reaction temperature of 100 °C was employed. At this temperature, the amount of the smaller macrocycle was greatly increased, but at the expense of the larger oligoester. For immobilized lipase B from Candida antarctica (N435), longer chain length esters and diols were more conducive to the synthesis of the macrocycles. Langmuir isotherms indicated that monolayers subjected to multiple compression/expansion cycles exhibited a reversible collapse mechanism different from that expected for linear polysiloxanes.

Selectivity of lipases for estolides synthesis

Lipase-catalyzed synthesis of estolides starting from different saturated (C16 16OH, C18 12OH) and unsaturated (C18:1 9 cis 12-OH) hydroxy-fatty acids was investigated. For this reason, the catalytic efficiency of several native and immobilized lipases in different organic reaction media at temperatures up to 75 °C was studied. The formation of mono- and di-lactone as well as estolide’s chain elongation depends on the type and source of lipase. The lipase from Pseudomonas stutzeri immobilized by cross-linking as cross-linked enzymes aggregates (CLEAs) was the best biocatalyst in terms of chain elongation. Estolides with polymerization degree up to 10 were obtained at substrate conversions higher than 80 %.

A chemo-enzymatic route to synthesize (S)-γ-valerolactone from levulinic acid

Levulinic acid is a feasible platform chemical derived from acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of lignocellulose. The conversion of this substrate to (S)-γ-valerolactone ((S)-GVL) was investigated in a chemo-enzymatic reaction sequence that benefits from mild reaction conditions and excellent enantiomeric excess of the desired (S)-GVL. For that purpose, levulinic acid was chemically esterified over the ion exchange resin Amberlyst 15 to yield ethyl levulinate (LaOEt). The keto ester was successfully reduced by (S)-specific carbonyl reductase from Candida parapsilosis (CPCR2) in a substrate-coupled cofactor regeneration system utilizing isopropanol as cosubstrate. In classical batch experiments, a maximum conversion of 95 % was achieved using a 20-fold excess of isopropanol. Continuous reduction of LaOEt was carried out for 24 h, and a productivity of more than 5 mg (S)-ethyl-4-hydroxypentanoate (4HPOEt) per μg CPCR2 was achieved. Afterwards (S)-4HPOEt (>99%ee) was substituted to lipase-catalyzed lactonization using immobilized lipase B from Candida antarctica to yield (S)-GVL in 90 % overall yield and >99%ee.

Synthesis of a novel macrolactone by lipase-catalyzed intra-esterification of hydroxy-fatty acid in organic media

The unsaturations and groups bound to the ring and to the lateral chain of lactones give a large diversity in this class of molecules. In this work we produced enzymatically a macrolactone in organic media. The substrate used was a hydroxy-fatty acid: (+)-coriolic acid and the enzymes tested were free or immobilized microbial lipases. The immobilized lipase from Candida antarctica seems to be the most adequate catalyst offering a high reaction yield. The intra-esterification was studied as a function of temperature and type of solvent. Higher yields were obtained when using diisopropyl-ether at 35 degrees C. This reaction, involving an alcohol group on an internal position on the carbon chain of the substrate hydroxy-acid, produces an original lactone: 13S-octadeca-(9Z,11E)-dienolide. The product was purified and characterized using (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy.

Part III. Direct enzymatic esterification of lactic acid with fatty acids

Lipase catalyzed esterification reactions between lactic acid and several fatty acids have been studied. Difficulties arise in esterifying lactic acid because of the potential for this substance to act both as an acyl donor and as a nucleophile. These difficulties were minimized via strategies which greatly increased the yield of the desired ester. Use of the companion fatty acid in excess with respect to lactic acid in an apolar solvent (n-hexane) in which the lactic is not completely dissolved has been employed to minimize the potential for lactic acid to act as an acyl donor in a self-polymerization reaction.Beneficial and sinergistic effects of both silica gel and molecular sieves on conversion to the desired product are described. However, careful control of the amount of molecular sieves used is required. This fact is a consequence of two opposing effects of this material: i.e. adsorption of both lactic acid and water from the reaction mixture. For reaction between caprylic and lactic acids, use of an excessive amount of enzyme reduces the extent of conversion to 2-O-caproyl-lactic acid.A very pure ester of the L-enantiomer (optical rotation of [alpha]D(25) = -23.5) can be prepared in n-hexane using a four fold excess of caprylic acid and Candida antarctica lipase. Optimum reaction conditions lead to 35% yield of 2-O-caproyl-lactic acid, a result which is close to the maximum yield that can be enantioselectively obtained from commercial grade lactic acid (68 mole per cent monomer).

Bioreactors with immobilized lipases: state of the art

This review attempts to provide an updated compilation of studies reported in the literature pertaining to reactors containing lipases in immobilized forms, in a way that helps the reader direct a bibliographic search and develop an integrated perspective of the subject. Highlights are given to industrial applications of lipases (including control and economic considerations), as well as to methods of immobilization and configurations of reactors in which lipases are used. Features associated with immobilized lipase kinetics such as enzyme activities, adsorption properties, optimum operating conditions, and estimates of the lumped parameters in classical kinetic formulations (Michaelis-Menten model for enzyme action and first-order model for enzyme decay) are presented in the text in a systematic tabular form.