Peracetylated β-cyclodextrin as additive in enzymatic reactions: Enhanced reaction rate and enantiomeric ratio in lipase-catalyzed transesterifications in organic solvents

Peracetylated β-cyclodextrin has been employed as a macrocyclic additive to enhance the enantiomeric ratio E and reaction rate in Pseudomonas cepacia lipase (PSL)-catalyzed enantioselective transesterification of 1-(2-furyl)ethanol in organic solvents. The beneficial action of the cyclodextrin used as a regulator of lipase was tentatively interpreted as increasing the conformational flexibility of the enzyme and undergoing host-guest complexation with the product, thereby preventing product inhibition and leading to an enhancement of the enantiomeric ratio E and the reaction rate. The effect of the organic solvent on the present cyclodextrin-mediated enzymatic transesterification has been studied.