A novel continuous flow biosynthesis of caffeic acid phenethyl ester from alkyl caffeate and phenethanol in a packed bed microreactor

Kinetic Aspects of Esterification and Transesterification in Microstructured Reactors

Microstructured reactors offer fast chemical engineering transfer and precise microfluidic control, enabling the determination of reactions' kinetic parameters. This review examines recent advancements in measuring microreaction kinetics. It explores kinetic modeling, reaction mechanisms, and intrinsic kinetic equations pertaining to two types of microreaction: esterification and transesterification reactions involving acids, bases, or biocatalysts. The utilization of a micro packed-bed reactor successfully achieves a harmonious combination of the micro-dispersion state and the reaction kinetic characteristics. Additionally, this review presents micro-process simulation software and explores the advanced integration of microreactors with spectroscopic analyses for reaction monitoring and data acquisition. Furthermore, it elaborates on the control principles of the micro platform. The superiority of online measurement, automation, and the digitalization of the microreaction process for kinetic measurements is highlighted, showcasing the vast prospects of artificial intelligence applications.

Yeast Metabolic Engineering for Biosynthesis of Caffeic Acid-Derived Phenethyl Ester and Phenethyl Amide

Caffeic acid (CA)-derived phenethyl ester (CAPE) and phenethyl amide (CAPA) are extensively investigated bioactive compounds with therapeutic applications such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic properties. To construct microbial cell factories for production of CAPE or CAPA is a promising option given the limitation of natural sources for product extraction and the environmental toxicity of the agents used in chemical synthesis. We reported the successful biosynthesis of caffeic acid in yeast previously. Here in this work, we further constructed the downstream synthetic pathways in yeast for biosynthesis of CAPE and CAPA. After combinatorial engineering of yeast chassis based on the rational pathway engineering method and library-based SCRaMbLE method, we finally obtained the optimal strains that respectively produced 417 μg/L CAPE and 1081 μg/L CAPA. Two screened gene targets of ΔHAM1 and ΔYJL028W were discovered to help improve the product synthesis capacity. This is the first report of the de novo synthesis of CAPA from glucose in an engineered yeast chassis. Future work on enzyme and chassis engineering will further support improving the microbial cell factories for the production of CA derivatives.

Sustainable biosynthetic pathways to value-added bioproducts from hydroxycinnamic acids

The biorefinery concept, in which biomass is utilized for the production of fuels and chemicals, emerges as an eco-friendly, cost-effective, and renewable alternative to petrochemical-based production. The hydroxycinnamic acid fraction of lignocellulosic biomass represents an untapped source of aromatic molecules that can be converted to numerous high-value products with industrial applications, including in the flavor and fragrance sector and pharmaceuticals. This review describes several biochemical pathways useful in the development of a biorefinery concept based on the biocatalytic conversion of the hydroxycinnamic acids ferulic, caffeic, and p-coumaric acid into high-value molecules. KEY POINTS: • The phenylpropanoids bioconversion pathways in the context of biorefineries • Description of pathways from hydroxycinnamic acids to high-value compounds • Metabolic engineering and synthetic biology advance hydroxycinnamic acid-based biorefineries.

Development of 3D Printed Enzymatic Microreactors for Lipase-Catalyzed Reactions in Deep Eutectic Solvent-Based Media

In this study, 3D printing technology was exploited for the development of immobilized enzyme microreactors that could be used for biocatalytic processes in Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES)-based media. 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) microwell plates or tubular microfluidic reactors were modified with polyethylenimine (PEI) and lipase from Candida antarctica (CALB) was covalently immobilized in the interior of each structure. DESs were found to have a negligible effect on the activity and stability of CALB, and the system proved highly stable and reusable in the presence of DESs for the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl butyrate (p-NPB). A kinetic study under flow conditions revealed an enhancement of substrate accessibility in the presence of Betaine: Glycerol (Bet:Gly) DES, while the system was not severely affected by diffusion limitations. Incubation of microreactors in 100% Bet:Gly preserved the enzyme activity by 53% for 30 days of storage at 60 °C, while the buffer-stored sample had already been deactivated. The microfluidic enzyme reactor was efficiently used for the trans-esterification of ethyl ferulate (EF) with glycerol towards the production of glyceryl ferulate (GF), known for its antioxidant potential. The biocatalytic process under continuous flow conditions exhibited 23 times higher productivity than the batch reaction system. This study featured an effective and robust biocatalytic system with immobilized lipase that can be used both in hydrolytic and synthetic applications, while further optimization is expected to upgrade the microreactor system performance.

Development of a Tailored Sol-Gel Immobilized Biocatalyst for Sustainable Synthesis of the Food Aroma Ester n-Amyl Caproate in Continuous Solventless System

This study reports the synthesis of a hybrid sol-gel material, based on organically modified silanes (ORMOSILs) with epoxy functional groups, and its application in the stabilization of lipase type B from Candida antarctica (CalB) through sol-gel entrapment. The key immobilization parameters in the sol-gel entrapment of lipase using epoxysilanes were optimized by the design of numerous experiments, demonstrating that glycidoxypropyl-trimethoxysilane can allow the formation of a matrix with excellent properties in view of the biocatalytic esterifications catalyzed by this lipase, at an enzyme loading of 25 g/mol of silane. The characterization of the immobilized biocatalyst and the correlation of its catalytic efficiency with the morphological and physicochemical properties of the sol-gel matrix was accomplished through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fluorescence microscopy (FM), as well as thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA). The operational and thermal stability of lipase were increased as a result of immobilization, with the entrapped lipase retaining 99% activity after 10 successive reaction cycles in the batch solventless synthesis of n-amyl caproate. A possible correlation of optimal productivity and yield was attempted for this immobilized lipase via the continuous flow synthesis of n-amyl caproate in a solventless system. The robustness and excellent biocatalytic efficiency of the optimized biocatalyst provide a promising solution for the synthesis of food-grade flavor esters, even at larger scales.

An efficient and robust continuous-flow bioreactor for the enzymatic preparation of phytosterol esters based on hollow lipase microarray

In this study, a continuous-flow bioreactor packed with well-organized lipase microarrays was developed for the sustainable synthesis of functional lipid-phytosterol esters (PEs). Hollow mesoporous silicon spheres with a suitable pore size were prepared for lipase immobilization, and the hydrophobic modification endowed the lipase with excellent catalytic activity and stability. The results showed that the condensely packed lipase microarrays offered large specific surface areas and guaranteed the thorough interaction between the lipase and substrates in the continuous-flow bioreactor. Meanwhile, the substrate could pass through the reactor at 1 mL/min with a high conversion of 93.6% due to the hollow structure of the packing spheres. Moreover, the reactors were able to produce 1564 g PEs/g catalyst in a continuous 30-day processing period, which set the highest records for PEs synthesis. This sustainable and highly-converting flow system provided a feasible path for scale-up production of PEs in the food processing area.

Modern advancements in continuous-flow aided kinetic analysis

Although kinetic analysis has traditionally been conducted in a batch vessel, continuous-flow aided kinetic analysis continues to swell in popularity.

Choline Chloride-urea Deep Eutectic Mixture Water for the Synthesis of an Amphiphilic Compound of Glyceryl Monocaffeate

The Lipase-catalyzed synthesis of glyceryl monocaffeate (GMC) in choline chloride-urea of natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) media is reported to provide amphiphilic character to caffeic acid (CA). The modification of CA into GMC could potentially increase its solubility and widen the application of CA's biological activities in water and oil-based systems. The high conversion was achieved when the reaction was carried out with the addition of more than 20 %v/v water, at a high molar ratio of glycerol and 40°C. It was found that the lipase-catalyzed transesterification of ethyl caffeate (EC) and glycerol in choline chloride-urea of DES media obeyed ping-pong bi-bi mechanism with V_max = 10.9 mmol.min^-1, K_mEC = 126.5 mmol and K_mGly = 1842.7 mmol.

Enzymes, In Vivo Biocatalysis, and Metabolic Engineering for Enabling a Circular Economy and Sustainability

Since the industrial revolution, the rapid growth and development of global industries have depended largely upon the utilization of coal-derived chemicals, and more recently, the utilization of petroleum-based chemicals. These developments have followed a linear economy model (produce, consume, and dispose). As the world is facing a serious threat from the climate change crisis, a more sustainable solution for manufacturing, i.e., circular economy in which waste from the same or different industries can be used as feedstocks or resources for production offers an attractive industrial/business model. In nature, biological systems, i.e., microorganisms routinely use their enzymes and metabolic pathways to convert organic and inorganic wastes to synthesize biochemicals and energy required for their growth. Therefore, an understanding of how selected enzymes convert biobased feedstocks into special (bio)chemicals serves as an important basis from which to build on for applications in biocatalysis, metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology to enable biobased processes that are greener and cleaner for the environment. This review article highlights the current state of knowledge regarding the enzymatic reactions used in converting biobased wastes (lignocellulosic biomass, sugar, phenolic acid, triglyceride, fatty acid, and glycerol) and greenhouse gases (CO₂ and CH₄) into value-added products and discusses the current progress made in their metabolic engineering. The commercial aspects and life cycle assessment of products from enzymatic and metabolic engineering are also discussed. Continued development in the field of metabolic engineering would offer diversified solutions which are sustainable and renewable for manufacturing valuable chemicals.

Regioselective chemoenzymatic syntheses of ferulate conjugates as chromogenic substrates for feruloyl esterases

Generally, carbohydrate-active enzymes are studied using chromogenic substrates that provide quick and easy color-based detection of enzyme-mediated hydrolysis. For feruloyl esterases, commercially available chromogenic ferulate derivatives are both costly and limited in terms of their experimental application. In this study, we describe solutions for these two issues, using a chemoenzymatic approach to synthesize different ferulate compounds. The overall synthetic routes towards commercially available 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl and 4-nitrophenyl 5-O-feruloyl-α-ʟ-arabinofuranosides were significantly shortened (from 7 or 8 to 4–6 steps), and the transesterification yields were enhanced (from 46 to 73% and from 47 to 86%, respectively). This was achieved using enzymatic (immobilized Lipozyme^® TL IM from Thermomyces lanuginosus) transesterification of unprotected vinyl ferulate to the primary hydroxy group of α‐ʟ‐arabinofuranosides. Moreover, a novel feruloylated 4-nitrocatechol-1-yl-substituted butanetriol analog, containing a cleavable hydroxylated linker, was also synthesized in 32% overall yield in 3 steps (convergent synthesis). The latter route combined the regioselective functionalization of 4-nitrocatechol and enzymatic transferuloylation. The use of this strategy to characterize type A feruloyl esterase from Aspergillus niger reveals the advantages of this substrate for the characterizations of feruloyl esterases.

Enzymatic electrochemical continuous flow cascade synthesis of substituted benzimidazoles

An industrially practical method for the synthesis of substituted benzimidazoles was developed from an enzymatic electrochemical cascade method.

Chemo-enzymatic oxidative cleavage of isosafrole for the synthesis of piperonal

Piperonal is a key feedstock for the fine chemical industry. A novel process for its production from isosafrole is described, based on lipase-mediated perhydrolysis in flow, followed by batch alkaline treatment and by MnO2 oxidation in flow.

A novel nanoparticle loaded with methyl caffeate and caffeic acid phenethyl ester against Ralstonia solanacearum—a plant pathogenic bacteria

Developing a novel agent and understanding the interaction model between multipolymer nanoparticles and bacteria could be worthwhile to induce the protection of crops with the prevalence of frequent hazards because of the use of pesticides and chemical resistance. Unlike metal nanoparticles, multipolymer nanoparticles have bacteriostatic properties against Ralstonia solanacearum that can trigger bacterial wilt by infecting the plant. Therefore, a novel poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticle containing caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and methyl caffeate (MC) was prepared with the sustained-release property (for 10 d at pH 6.5); here, 50% of the cumulative release rate was achieved. It was observed that the cytomembrane of R. solanacearum was jeopardized by the nanoparticle by the creation of large holes on the bacterial surface. The nanoparticle has an approximate EC₅₀ value of 0.285 mg mL⁻¹ with active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), while the drug dosage could be reduced by 2/3. Furthermore, to reveal the possible mechanism of interaction between the multipolymer nanoparticles and bacteria, a formidable inhibition effect was observed; the pathogenicity-related genes, namely, phcA, phcB, pehC, egl, pilT, and polA, of R. solanacearum were downregulated by 1/2, 1/42, 1/13, 1/6, 1/2, and 1/8, respectively, showing significant effects on the major virulence-related genes. Hence, a novel nanoparticle with excellent antibacterial and sustained-release properties has been prepared, possessing the potential to replace chemical pesticides and serve as a new control strategy for mulberry blight disease.

Developing a novel agent and understanding an interaction model between multipolymer nanoparticles and bacteria could be worthwhile to induce the protection of crops with the prevalence of frequent hazards because of the use of chemical pesticides.

On-chip organic synthesis enabled using an engine-and-cargo system in an electrowetting-on-dielectric digital microfluidic device

This paper presents a microfluidic chemical reaction using an electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) digital microfluidic device. Despite a number of chemical/biological applications using EWOD digital microfluidic devices, their applications to organic reactions have been seriously limited because most of the common solvents used in synthetic organic chemistry are not compatible with EWOD devices. To address this unsolved issue, we first introduce a novel technique using an "engine-and-cargo" system that enables the use of non-movable fluids (e.g., organic solvents) on an EWOD device. With esterification as the model reaction, on-chip chemical reactions were successfully demonstrated. Conversion data obtained from on-chip reactions were used to characterize and optimize the reaction with regard to reaction kinetics, solvent screening, and catalyst loading. As the first step toward on-chip combinatorial synthesis, parallel esterification of three different alcohols was demonstrated. Results from this study clearly show that an EWOD digital microfluidic platform is a promising candidate for microscale chemical reactions.

Continuous production of aprepitant chiral intermediate by immobilized amidase in a packed bed bioreactor

To develop a highly efficient method for aprepitant chiral intermediate (S)-4-fluorophenylglycine, a continuous reaction system was established in packed bed bioreactor using amidase covalently immobilized on epoxy resin as biocatalyst. The epoxy resin was firstly modified by metal-chelate method and functional groups (Cu²⁺-IDA) generated were able to rapidly adsorb amidases, which were further covalently bound onto the modified resin with 90.1% immobilization yield and 80.2% activity recovery. The immobilized amidase exhibited excellent thermal stability with the longest half-life of 1456.8 h at 40 °C ever reported. (S)-4-fluorophenylglycine was continuously produced using the reaction system with 49.9% conversion, 99.9% ee, and an outstanding space-time yield of 5.29 kg L^-1 d^-1. Moreover, the efficient reaction system exhibited a high operational stability and retained 86.3% catalytic activity after 25-day continuous operation. This efficient continuous bioprocess presents great industrial potential for large-scale production of (S)-4-fluorophenylglycine.

Continuous flow biocatalysis

The continuous flow synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients, value-added chemicals, and materials has grown tremendously over the past ten years. This revolution in chemical manufacturing has resulted from innovations in both new methodology and technology. This field, however, has been predominantly focused on synthetic organic chemistry, and the use of biocatalysts in continuous flow systems is only now becoming popular. Although immobilized enzymes and whole cells in batch systems are common, their continuous flow counterparts have grown rapidly over the past two years. With continuous flow systems offering improved mixing, mass transfer, thermal control, pressurized processing, decreased variation, automation, process analytical technology, and in-line purification, the combination of biocatalysis and flow chemistry opens powerful new process windows. This Review explores continuous flow biocatalysts with emphasis on new technology, enzymes, whole cells, co-factor recycling, and immobilization methods for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, value-added chemicals, and materials.

Engineering a bacterial platform for total biosynthesis of caffeic acid derived phenethyl esters and amides

Caffeic acid has been widely recognized as a versatile pharmacophore for synthesis of new chemical entities, among which caffeic acid derived phenethyl esters and amides are the most extensively-investigated bioactive compounds with potential therapeutical applications. However, the natural biosynthetic routes for caffeic acid derived phenethyl esters or amides remain enigmatic, limiting their bio-based production. Herein, product-directed design of biosynthetic schemes allowed the development of thermodynamically favorable pathways for these compounds via acyltransferase (ATF) mediated trans-esterification. Production based screening identified a microbial O-ATF from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and a plant N-ATF from Capsicum annuum capable of forming caffeic acid derived esters and amides, respectively. Subsequent combinatorial incorporation of caffeic acid with various aromatic alcohol or amine biosynthetic pathways permitted the de novo bacterial production of a panel of caffeic acid derived phenethyl esters or amides in Escherichia coli for the first time. Particularly, host strain engineering via systematic knocking out endogenous caffeoyl-CoA degrading thioesterase and pathway optimization via titrating co-substrates enabled production enhancement of five caffeic acid derived phenethyl esters and amides, with titers ranging from 9.2 to 369.1mg/L. This platform expanded the capabilities of bacterial production of high-value natural aromatic esters and amides from renewable carbon source via tailoring non-natural biosynthetic pathways.

Cooperative Reinforcement of Ionic Liquid and Reactive Solvent on Enzymatic Synthesis of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester as an In Vitro Inhibitor of Plant Pathogenic Bacteria

It is widely believed that lipases in ionic liquids (ILs) possess higher enzyme activity, stability and selectivity; however, reaction equilibrium is always limited by product inhibition, and the product is difficult to separate from non-volatile ILs using distillation. To solve this problem, using trialkylphosphine oxide (TOPO) as a complexing agent, a novel biphase of reactive solvent and IL was firstly reported for caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) production from methyl caffeate (MC) and 2-phenylethanol (PE) catalyzed by lipase via transesterification. The effects of the reaction parameters and their action mechanism were investigated, and the inhibition of CAPE against bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum was firstly measured. The MC conversion of 98.83% ± 0.76% and CAPE yield of 96.29% ± 0.07% were obtained by response surface methodology in the 25 g/L TOPO-cyclohexane/[Bmim][Tf₂N] (1:1, v/v); the complex stoichiometry calculation and FTIR spectrum confirmed that the reversible hydrogen-bond complexation between TOPO and caffeates significantly enhances the cooperative effect of two phases on the lipase-catalyzed reaction. The temperature was reduced by 14 °C; the MC concentration increased by 3.33-fold; the ratio of catalyst to donor decreased by 4.5-fold; and Km decreased 1.08-fold. The EC₅₀ of CAPE against R. solanacearum was 0.17–0.75 mg/mL, suggesting that CAPE is a potential in vitro inhibitor of plant pathogenic bacteria.

Microfluidic synthesis of α-ketoesters via oxidative coupling of acetophenones with alcohols under metal-free conditions

An efficient and novel method for the synthesis of α-ketoesters has been developed via oxidative coupling of acetophenones with alcohols under TBHP/I₂/DBU conditions in a microfluidic chip reactor, which has a wide substrate scope, uses a lower dosage of iodine and affords higher product yields in only a few seconds.

Selective synthesis of human milk fat-style structured triglycerides from microalgal oil in a microfluidic reactor packed with immobilized lipase

Human milk fat-style structured triacylglycerols were produced from microalgal oil in a continuous microfluidic reactor packed with immobilized lipase for the first time. A remarkably high conversion efficiency was demonstrated in the microreactor with reaction time being reduced by 8 times, Michaelis constant decreased 10 times, the lipase reuse times increased 2.25-fold compared to those in a batch reactor. In addition, the content of palmitic acid at sn-2 position (89.0%) and polyunsaturated fatty acids at sn-1, 3 positions (81.3%) are slightly improved compared to the product in a batch reactor. The increase of melting points (1.7°C) and decrease of crystallizing point (3°C) implied higher quality product was produced using the microfluidic technology. The main cost can be reduced from $212.3 to $14.6 per batch with the microreactor. Overall, the microfluidic bioconversion technology is promising for modified functional lipids production allowing for cost-effective approach to produce high-value microalgal coproducts.

Enzymatic synthesis of bioactive compounds with high potential for cosmeceutical application

Cosmeceuticals are cosmetic products containing biologically active ingredients purporting to offer a pharmaceutical therapeutic benefit. The active ingredients can be extracted and purified from natural sources (botanicals, herbal extracts, or animals) but can also be obtained biotechnologically by fermentation and cell cultures or by enzymatic synthesis and modification of natural compounds. A cosmeceutical ingredient should possess an attractive property such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, skin whitening, anti-aging, anti-wrinkling, or photoprotective activity, among others. During the past years, there has been an increased interest on the enzymatic synthesis of bioactive esters and glycosides based on (trans)esterification, (trans)glycosylation, or oxidation reactions. Natural bioactive compounds with exceptional theurapeutic properties and low toxicity may offer a new insight into the design and development of potent and beneficial cosmetics. This review gives an overview of the enzymatic modifications which are performed currently for the synthesis of products with attractive properties for the cosmeceutical industry.

Alkyl caffeates improve the antioxidant activity, antitumor property and oxidation stability of edible oil

Caffeic acid (CA) is distributed widely in nature and possesses strong antioxidant activity. However, CA has lower solubility in non-polar media, which limits its application in fat-soluble food. To increase the lipophilicity of natural antioxidant CA, a series of alkyl caffeates were synthesized and their antioxidant and antitumor activities were investigated. The antioxidant parameters, including the induction period, acid value and unsaturated fatty acid content, of the alkyl caffeates in edible oil were firstly investigated. The results indicated that alkyl caffeates had a lower DPPH IC₅₀ (14–23 µM) compared to CA, dibutyl hydroxy toluene (BHT) and Vitamin C (24–51 µM), and significantly inhibited four human cancer cells (SW620, SW480, SGC7901 and HepG2) with inhibition ratio of 71.4–78.0% by a MTT assay. With regard to the induction period and acid value assays, methyl and butyl caffeates had higher abilities than BHT to restrain the oxidation process and improve the stability of edible oil. The addition of ethyl caffeate to oil allowed maintenance of a higher unsaturated fatty acid methyl ester content (68.53%) at high temperatures. Overall, the alkyl caffeats with short chain length (n<5) assessed better oxidative stability than those with long chain length. To date, this is the first report to the correlations among the antioxidant activity, anticancer activity and oxidative stability of alkyl caffeates.