FACILE CHEMOENZYMATIC SYNTHESIS OF MONOSACCHARIDE FATTY-ACID ESTERS

A range of monosaccharide fatty acid esters was prepared by enzymatic esterification of sugar acetals to provide a series of esters for deta iled investigation of their surfactant properties. 6-O-acyl-D-galactop yranoses 2, 6-O-acyl-D-glucopyranoses 4 and 5-O-acyl-D-xylofuranoses 6 were prepared by Mucor miehei lipase catalysed esterification of ,2:3 ,4-di-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-galactopyranose 1a, 1,2-O-isopropyliden e-alpha-D-glucofuranose 3a and 1,2-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-xylofurano se 5a with decanoic, dodecanoic, tetradecanoic, hexadecanoic and octad ecanoic acids respectively followed by cleavage of the isopropylidene group(s) of the monosaccharide acetal estes 1b-f, 3b-f and 5b-f.