Chemo-enzymatic epoxidation of sunflower oil methyl esters

Abstract

The chemo-enzymatic epoxidation of the methyl esters of sunflower oil with lipase from Candida antarctica B and aqueous H2O2 in the presence and absence of an acyl donor was investigated. The biphasic system (CH2Cl2/H2O) comprised Candida antarctica B lipase (CALB, 1000 u g-1) and 30% (v/v) aqueous hydrogen peroxide. In some cases the conversion was higher than 99%. The best results were obtained for the biphasic system after 16 h of reaction, at 30 ºC, using 10 mmol of octanoic acid in relation to 1 g of the oil, 6 mL of dichlomethane and 5 mL of water.