Menthol and Fatty Acid-Based Hydrophobic Deep Eutectic Solvents as Media for Enzyme Activation

This research aims to provide insights into the biological efficacy of a newly formed hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (DES). A DES based on menthol was successfully synthesized with fatty acids. The DESs' properties as enzyme activators were examined against a neat counterpart. The menthol:decanoic acid (1:1) combination showed improved thermal stability, strong catalytic activity, and reusability for up to four subsequent cycles under ideal conditions (pH 7.0, 40 degrees C for 2 h). The hydrophobic DES replaced hexane in ester synthesis, where RNL@DES5 showed better fatty acid conversion compared to neat RNL. This study demonstrated promising applications of hydrophobic DESs in non-aqueous organic reactions.

Automated summary

This research provides insights into the efficacy of a newly formed hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (DES) based on menthol and fatty acids. The menthol:decanoic acid (1:1) combination exhibited improved thermal stability, strong catalytic activity, and reusability for up to four cycles. The hydrophobic DES showed better fatty acid conversion in ester synthesis compared to hexane. This study demonstrates promising applications of hydrophobic DESs in non-aqueous organic reactions.