Surfactant production by an enzymatic method

Glucose was acylated with palmitic acid using two kinds of lipases. The reactions were performed in the presence of an organic solvent. Solvent effect and molecular sieve effect and also the effect of enzyme amount and influence of molar ratio of substrates on glucose palmitate production with lipase from Rhizomucor miehei (Palatase ® M) were studied. Application of molecular sieves together with open system increased palmitic acid conversion in the reaction mixture. Glucose palmitate was obtained in 41.18% conversion in hexane at 40 °C with Palatase ® M. Glucose palmitate was also synthesized with lipase from Candida antarctica (Novozyme 435). Esterification of palmitic acid with glucose resulted in 54.27% conversion in acetone at 40 °C without shaking with Novozyme 435. Palmitic acid conversion decreased with increasing shaking speed.