Enhanced enantioselectivity and remarkable acceleration on the lipase-catalyzed transesterification using novel ionic liquids

Novel imidazolium salt ionic liquids were prepared derived from polyoxyethylene( 10) cetyl sulfate and used as an additive for lipase-catalyzed transesterification in organic solvent; a remarkable enhanced enantioselectivity was obtained when the salt was added in 3 to 10 mol% vs. substrate in the Pseudomonas cepacia lipase-catalyzed transesterification of 1-phenylethanol using vinyl acetate in a diisopropyl ether or hexane solvent system. There was a remarkable acceleration when the lipase was coated with this novel ionic liquid and used as catalyst for transesterification in i-Pr2O or in hexane.