Microemulsion-Based Gels for Lipase-Catalyzed Ester Synthesis in Organic Solvents

Microemulsions are clear, stable, isotropic mixtures of oil, water, and surfactant, frequently in combination with a cosurfactant. These systems are currently of interest to the pharmaceutical scientist because of their considerable potential to act as drug delivery vehicles by incorporating a wide range of drug molecules. The purpose of this work is to solubilize in AOT [sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulphosuccinate] water-in-oil microemulsions at two different R-values the Chromobacterium viscosum (CV) lipase and lipoprotein lipase ex Pseudomonas and to use them to catalyze the lactonization of 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid at 40°C. CV lipase is also immobilized in gelatin-containing microemulsion-based gels (MBGs) with retention of catalytic activity. These lipase-containing MBGs proved to be novel solid-phase catalysts for use in apolar organic solvents. CV lipase-containing MBGs are used to synthesize, on a preparative scale, a variety of different esters under mild conditions.