Biosynthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol by lipase in dimethyl carbonate as the solvent

Bioprocess Biosyst Eng. 2010 Nov;33(9):1059-65. doi: 10.1007/s00449-010-0431-9. Epub 2010 May 26.

Abstract

Glycerol carbonate was synthesized from renewable glycerol and dimethyl carbonate using lipase in solvent-free reaction system in which excess dimethyl carbonate played as the reaction medium. A variety of lipases have been tested for their abilities to catalyze transesterification reaction, and Candida antartica lipase B and Novozyme 435 exhibited higher catalytic activities. The silica-coated glycerol with a 1:1 ratio was supplied to prevent two-phase formation between hydrophobic dimethyl carbonate and hydrophilic glycerol. Glycerol carbonate was successfully synthesized with more than 90% conversion from dimethyl carbonate and glycerol with a molar ratio of 10 using Novozyme 435-catalyzed transesterification at 70 °C. The Novozyme 435 [5% (w/w) and 20% (w/w)] and silica gel were more than four times recycled with good stability in a repeated batch operation for the solvent-free synthesis of glycerol carbonate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Candida / enzymology*
  • Carbonates / chemistry*
  • Detergents / chemistry
  • Enzymes, Immobilized
  • Esters / chemistry
  • Formates / chemistry*
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Glycerol / chemistry*
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Lipase / chemistry*
  • Microscopy / methods
  • Models, Chemical
  • Solvents
  • Temperature
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Carbonates
  • Detergents
  • Enzymes, Immobilized
  • Esters
  • Formates
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Solvents
  • Novozyme 435
  • Lipase
  • methyl carbonate
  • Glycerol