ENZYMATIC-SYNTHESIS OF 2-BETA-D-GALACTOPYRANOSYLOXY ETHYL-METHACRYLATE (GALEMA) BY THE THERMOPHILIC ARCHEON SULFOLOBUS-SOLFATARICUS

beta-Glycosidases catalyze the synthesis of glycosides when a nucleoph ilic acceptor other than water is present in the reaction medium. We d escribe the enzymatyc synthesis of 2-beta-D-galactopyranosyloxyethyl m ethacrylate (GalEMA) starting from 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (pNPG) using a beta-glycosi dase activity present in the thermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfatar icus. This thermophilic enzyme catalyzes the transfer of the galactopy ranosyl unit from pNPG to the HEMA hydroxyl group by the formation of a new beta-glycosidic bond. The conditions of the biocatalytic system have been optimized to obtain high yield of GalEMA. (C) 1996 John Wile y & Sons, Inc.