Synthesis and surface activity of novel glucose ester surfactants containing carbohydrate and hydrocarbon chain

Abstract

ABSTRACTA series of glucosyl esters surfactants were synthesized based on glucose molecule by enzymatic catalysis. It could reach the highest esterification yield of 83.4% at the optimal condition, molar ratio of D-glucose and fatty acyl amino acid as 3:2 using 11% (w/w) enzyme catalyst Lipozyme 435 as catalyst in t-butanol at 40°C. The surface activities were studied, such as the critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface tension (γcmc), maximum excess concentration (Γmax), minimum surface area/molecule (Amin), and the adsorption efficiency (pC20); values of these were obtained by surface tension test. The results show that the longer the hydrophobic chain length, the lower the CMC and γcmc. The CMCs of novel glucosyl esters were between 4.4 and 1.5 mM. Further, the micellization physiochemical parameters, including Gibbs free energy of micellization (ΔG), standard enthalpy change (ΔH), and standard entropy change (ΔS) were calculated. It was indicated the micellization of glucosyl esters 9–16 was driven by entropy and deduced at different temperature.