Effects of organic solvents and ionic liquids on the aminolysis of ( RS)-methyl mandelate catalyzed by lipases

Abstract

The enzymatic resolution of ( RS)-methyl mandelate with n-butylamine using lipases in organic solvents ( n-hexane, tert-butanol, and chloroform) and ionic liquids [BMIm][BF 4] and [BMIm][PF 6] is reported. The amide configuration is dependent on the organic solvent. When using mixtures of chloroform or tert-butanol/ionic liquids (10:1 v/v) with CAL-B as the catalyst, the amides were obtained in high enantiomeric excess (ee p >99% and E >200).