Nn. Gandhi et Kd. Mukherjee, Reactivity of medium-chain substrates in the interesterification of tripalmitin catalyzed by papaya lipase, J AM OIL CH, 78(9), 2001, pp. 965-968
Reactivity of different medium-chain substrates, i.e., n-octanol, caprylic
acid, and its alkyl (methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, and n-butyl) esters, was asse
ssed in the interesterification of tripalmitin catalyzed by papaya (Carica
papaya) lipase. Alcoholysis with n-octanol was the fastest reaction leading
to the highest conversion of tripalmitin to n-octyl palmitate and concomit
ant formation of di- as well as monopalmitoylglycerols. This was followed b
y transesterification of tripalmitin with n-butyl and n-propyl caprylates,
which in turn were faster than transesterification with ethyl and methyl ca
prylates, yielding in each case the corresponding alkyl palmitates and tria
cylglycerols containing palmitoyl and capryloyl moieties as the major react
ion products. Acidolysis of tripalmitin with caprylic acid yielded palmitic
acid and triacylglycerols containing palmitoyl and capryloyl moieties as t
he major reaction products, however, with the lowest conversion among the t
hree interesterification reactions studied. In each case, interesterificati
on was accompanied by some hydrolysis of tripalmitin.