Effect of solvent and initial water content on (R, S)-1-phenylethanol resolution

Expanding Access to Optically Active Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs via Lipase-Catalyzed KR of Racemic Acids Using Trialkyl Orthoesters as Irreversible Alkoxy Group Donors

Studies into the enzymatic kinetic resolution (EKR) of 2-arylpropanoic acids (‘profens’), as the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) of blockbuster non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), by using various trialkyl orthoesters as irreversible alkoxy group donors in organic media, were performed. The enzymatic reactions of target substrates were optimized using several different immobilized preparations of lipase type B from the yeast Candida antarctica (CAL-B). The influence of crucial parameters, including the type of enzyme and alkoxy agent, as well as the nature of the organic co-solvent and time of the process on the conversion and enantioselectivity of the enzymatic kinetic resolution, is described. The optimal EKR procedure for the racemic profens consisted of a Novozym 435-STREM lipase preparation suspended in a mixture of 3 equiv of trimethyl or triethyl orthoacetate as alkoxy donor and toluene or n-hexane as co-solvent, depending on the employed racemic NSAIDs. The reported biocatalytic system provided optically active products with moderate-to-good enantioselectivity upon esterification lasting for 7–48 h, with most promising results in terms of enantiomeric purity of the pharmacologically active enantiomers of title APIs obtained on the analytical scale for: (S)-flurbiprofen (97% ee), (S)-ibuprofen (91% ee), (S)-ketoprofen (69% ee), and (S)-naproxen (63% ee), respectively. In turn, the employment of optimal conditions on a preparative-scale enabled us to obtain the (S)-enantiomers of: flurbiprofen in 28% yield and 97% ee, ibuprofen in 45% yield and 56% ee, (S)-ketoprofen in 23% yield and 69% ee, and naproxen in 42% yield and 57% ee, respectively. The devised method turned out to be inefficient toward racemic etodolac regardless of the lipase and alkoxy group donor used, proving that it is unsuitable for carboxylic acids possessing tertiary chiral centers.

Environmentally friendly processes from coffee wastes to trimethylolpropane esters to be considered biolubricants

In this study, an eco-friendly renewable biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based oil lubricants was produced using espresso coffee wastes. Waste coffee oil used as raw material was extracted from Espresso coffee wastes by Soxhlet and conventional solvent extraction. Free fatty acids (FFA) were obtained by hydrolysis of the obtained waste oil using Lipozyme TL IM (Thermomyces lanuginosus). The byproduct, glycerol, was also separated from the reaction medium using a separatory funnel. The obtained FFA was used as a raw material in the production of TMP esters. Polyol esters of fatty acids were synthesized as a result of the esterification reaction between FFA and polyol alcohol (trimethylolpropane (TMP)) using Novozyme 435 (Candida antarctica). The amount of FFA in the medium and the FFA conversion was determined by titration with NaOH solution according to ASTM D 5555-95 standard and the FFA composition of espresso coffee oil by GC. The oil content of espresso coffee extract was found to be rich by 16% and the FFA composition was rich in palmitic acid (C_16:0 43% by weight) and linoleic acid (C_18:2 31% by weight). 31% of FFA was obtained from the coffee oil. Experimental studies have shown that the highest FFA conversion of 88% with 93% TMP tri-ester content was obtained at a temperature of 55°C, 5% enzyme (w/w), non-aqueous media, 3/1 FFA/TMP mole ratio, 500 rpm mixing speed and 24 hours. Implications: Filter coffee wastes, which have become one of the most important biological wastes with an annual production capacity of 6 million tons worldwide; It is targeted to be transformed into environmentally friendly products, as it is important in terms of economy and policies of many developing countries, it is a renewable resource and there is a high amount of waste accumulation day by day. Evaluation of waste filter coffees and oils with this research article; It is envisaged that the bio-lubricating oil used in many sectors will be synthesized and commercialized with an environmentally friendly process.

Surfactant-modified Aspergillus oryzae lipase as a highly active and enantioselective catalyst for the kinetic resolution of (RS)-1-phenylethanol

The lipase from Aspergillus oryzae was modified with a surfactant and then observed to exhibit high catalytic efficiency and enantioselectivity for the kinetic resolution of (RS)-1-phenylethanol. The influential factors of the modified-lipase preparation were investigated, including the surfactant source, the organic cosolvent, and the buffer pH. The optimum modification conditions were found with a surfactant of polyoxyethylene sorbitan monopalmitate, an organic cosolvent of tetrahydrofuran and a phosphate buffer of pH 7.0. In the transesterification of (RS)-1-phenylethanol with vinyl acetate, the surfactant-modified lipase showed excellent enantioselectivity for the R-isomer (E > 200), giving an enantiomeric excess of higher than 99% for (R)-1-phenylethyl acetate at 46.8% conversion with the reaction time of 2 h at 30 °C. The enzymatic activity had barely altered after 30 days even at 50 °C when it was saved in a powdered state. The results indicated that the modification strategy was useful and highly efficient, and that modified A. oryzae lipase was a promising biocatalyst in the kinetic resolution of (RS)-1-phenylethanol.

Efficient kinetic resolution of (±)-menthol by a lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus

A lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus (Lipozyme TL IM) exhibited high enantioselectivity for kinetic resolution of (±)-menthol in organic solvent. The various reaction parameters affecting the conversion and enantioselectivity were studied. The optimum reaction conditions for the transesterification reaction were found with vinyl acetate in the solvent of methyl tert-butyl ether with a vinyl acetate:(±)-menthol molar ratio of 5:1 and an enzyme concentration of 200 g/L at 30 °C. In these conditions, (-)-menthyl acetate with 99.3% enantiomeric excess was obtained, whereas the conversion was 34.7% with the reaction time of 12 H at the substrate concentration of 0.5 M. In addition, the enzyme allowed the substrate loading to be increased up to 1.5 M without the decrease of the enantioselectivity. These results indicated that Lipozyme TL IM was a promising biocatalyst in the resolution of (±)-menthol.

Glutaraldehyde cross-linking of immobilized thermophilic esterase on hydrophobic macroporous resin for application in poly(ε-caprolactone) synthesis

The immobilized thermophilic esterase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus was successfully constructed through the glutaraldehyde-mediated covalent coupling after its physical adsorption on a hydrophobic macroporous resin, Sepabeads EC-OD. Through 0.05% glutaraldehyde treatment, the prevention of enzyme leaching and the maintenance of catalytic activity could be simultaneously realized. Using the enzymatic ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone as a model, effects of organic solvents and reaction temperature on the monomer conversion and product molecular weight were systematically investigated. After the optimization of reaction conditions, products were obtained with 100% monomer conversion and M_n values lower than 1010 g/mol. Furthermore, the cross‑linked immobilized thermophilic esterase exhibited an excellent operational stability, with monomer conversion values exceeding 90% over the course of 12 batch reactions, still more than 80% after 16 batch reactions.

Enhancement of propyl gallate yield in nonaqueous medium using novel cell-associated tannase of Bacillus massiliensis

Enzymatic synthesis of propyl gallate in organic solvent was studied using cell-associated tannase (EC 3.1.1.20) of Bacillus massiliensis. Lyophilized biomass showing tannase activity was used as the biocatalyst. The effects of solvent, surfactant treatment, and bioimprinting on the propyl gallate synthesis were studied and subsequently optimized. Among various solvents, benzene followed by hexane was found to be the most favorable. Treatment of the biocatalyst with Triton X-100 at a lower concentration (0.2% w/v), before lyophilization, increased the propyl gallate yield by 24.5% compared to the untreated biocatalyst. The biocatalyst was imprinted with various concentrations of gallic acid and tannic acid. Biocatalyst imprinted with tannic acid showed 50% enhancement in the propyl gallate yield compared to the non-imprinted biocatalyst.

Organic co-solvents affect activity, stability and enantioselectivity of haloalkane dehalogenases

Haloalkane dehalogenases are microbial enzymes with a wide range of biotechnological applications, including biocatalysis. The use of organic co-solvents to solubilize their hydrophobic substrates is often necessary. In order to choose the most compatible co-solvent, the effects of 14 co-solvents on activity, stability and enantioselectivity of three model enzymes, DbjA, DhaA, and LinB, were evaluated. All co-solvents caused at high concentration loss of activity and conformational changes. The highest inactivation was induced by tetrahydrofuran, while more hydrophilic co-solvents, such as ethylene glycol and dimethyl sulfoxide, were better tolerated. The effects of co-solvents at low concentration were different for each enzyme-solvent pair. An increase in DbjA activity was induced by the majority of organic co-solvents tested, while activities of DhaA and LinB decreased at comparable concentrations of the same co-solvent. Moreover, a high increase of DbjA enantioselectivity was observed. Ethylene glycol and 1,4-dioxane were shown to have the most positive impact on the enantioselectivity. The favorable influence of these co-solvents on both activity and enantioselectivity makes DbjA suitable for biocatalytic applications. This study represents the first investigation of the effects of organic co-solvents on the biocatalytic performance of haloalkane dehalogenases and will pave the way for their broader use in industrial processes.

Effect of Additives and Process Variables on Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Macauba Kernel Oil (Acrocomia aculeata)

This work investigates the production of free fatty acids (FFAs) from the enzymatic hydrolysis of macauba kernel oil. Experiments evaluate the effect of different enzymes and the addition of salts, surfactants, and solvents to the reaction medium, as well as the effect of process variables. Results showed that FFA yields obtained for use of Lipozyme RM IM were higher than those obtained from Lipozyme TL IM and Lipozyme 435. The addition of salts and surfactants did not promote increased production of FFAs, while addingn-hexane and heptane to the reaction medium led to an increased reaction rate. It can be observed for the results that the temperature, water :  oil mass ratio, and enzyme percentage had positive effects on the FFA yield in the range of 35°C to 55°C, 1 :  20 to 1 :  2, and 1 to 15%, respectively, and that, from these limits, increases in these variables did not cause significant increase in FFA yields. The addition of buffer promoted an increase in yield FFAs, as well as the pH of the buffer, and it was reported that an agitation of 400 rpm resulted in the highest yields in the investigated range.

Biocatalytic synthesis of poly(δ-valerolactone) using a thermophilic esterase from archaeoglobus fulgidus as catalyst

The ring-opening polymerization of δ-valerolactone catalyzed by a thermophilic esterase from the archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus was successfully conducted in organic solvents. The effects of enzyme concentration, temperature, reaction time and reaction medium on monomer conversion and product molecular weight were systematically evaluated. Through the optimization of reaction conditions, poly(δ-valerolactone) was produced in 97% monomer conversion, with a number-average molecular weight of 2225 g/mol, in toluene at 70 °C for 72 h. This paper has produced a new biocatalyst for the synthesis of poly(δ-valerolactone), and also deeper insight has been gained into the mechanism of thermophilic esterase-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization.

Hydrolysis of virgin coconut oil using immobilized lipase in a batch reactor

Hydrolysis of virgin coconut oil (VCO) had been carried out by using an immobilised lipase from Mucor miehei (Lipozyme) in a water-jacketed batch reactor. The kinetic of the hydrolysis was investigated by varying the parameters such as VCO concentration, enzyme loading, water content, and reaction temperature. It was found that VCO exhibited substrate inhibition at the concentration more than 40% (v/v). Lipozyme also achieved the highest production of free fatty acids, 4.56 mM at 1% (w/v) of enzyme loading. The optimum water content for VCO hydrolysis was 7% (v/v). A relatively high content of water was required because water was one of the reactants in the hydrolysis. The progress curve and the temperature profile of the enzymatic hydrolysis also showed that Lipozyme could be used for free fatty acid production at the temperature up to 50°C. However, the highest initial reaction rate and the highest yield of free fatty acid production were at 45 and 40°C, respectively. A 100 hours of initial reaction time has to be compensated in order to obtain the highest yield of free fatty acid production at 40°C.