A two-step enzymatic resolution of glycidyl butyrate

Abstract

A two-step enzymatic resolution process for production of ( R)- and ( S)-glycidyl butyrate was investigated and the lipases were screened. The first step involved a hydrolysis of ( R, S)-glycidyl butyrate catalyzed by porcine pancreatic lipase ( S-favored) with an E of 21 for production of ( R)-glycidyl butyrate (13.2 mmol, 98% ee, 36% yield) under the optimal conditions (pH 7.4, 30 °C, 30 mg/ml CTAB). Then, the recovered ( R)-enriched glycidol (19.8 mmol, 65% ee, 56% yield) was used for transesterification catalyzed by Novozym 435 ( R-favored) with an E of 69 to obtain ( S)-glycidyl butyrate (15.1 mmol, 98% ee, 42% yield) under the optimum conditions ( a W = 0.24, n-heptane, 80 min).