Enzymatic synthesis of new aromatic and aliphatic esters of flavonoids using Candida antarctica lipase as biocatalyst

Enzymatic acylation of rutin and esculin with aromatic, aliphatic and aryl-aliphatic acids using Candida antarctica lipase in tert amyl alcohol as solvent was investigated under low water content. Whatever the acyl donor used, the conversion yields and initial rates for esculin were higher than for rutin. For a given flavonoid, the performance of these reactions depended on the acyl donor structures. For aliphatic acids, conversion yields and initial rates of both flavonoids were respectively in the ranges of 68-90% and of 9.5 x 10(-2)-72 x 10(-2) mmol l(-1) h(-1). For aromatic acids, the reaction occurred only with the aryl subgroup (cinnamic, hydrocinnamic, 3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic and 4-hydroxyphenyl acetic acids) and was drastically influenced by the presence of side chain and substitution patterns of the aromatic ring. Except for hydrocinnamic acid (75%, 23.4 x 10(-2) mmol l(-1) h(-1)), with these acids the conversion yields and initial rates were lower and in the range of 10-45% and of 0.7 x 10(-2) to 12.1 x 10(-2) mmol l(-1) h. Unsaturation of the side chain of the hydrocinnamic acid decreased the esculin conversion rate from 75 to 13% and initial rate from 23.4 to 1.76 x 10(-2) mmol l(-1) h(-1). The presence of hydroxyl or nitro-groups on the aromatic ring of the aryl aliphatic acid also reduced conversion yields and initial rates. Even without a spacer, the non-phenolic ring acid (quinic acid) was reactive and lead to conversion yields of about 20 and 23% respectively for rutin and esculin.