Novel reaction systems for the synthesis of O-glucosides by enzymatic reverse hydrolysis

Our studies are presented to replace alcohols as solvents in reverse hydrolytic reactions catalyzed by immobilized β-glucosidase to synthesize O-substituted β-d-glucopyranosides in preparative-scale. We found that 1,2-diacetoxyethane is a suitable solvent and O-alkyl or aryl β-d-glucosides were synthesized in moderate yields (after isolation 12–19%). In these reactions proportion of glucose and glucosyl acceptor hydroxy compounds was 1:20. We suggest that 1,2-diacetoxyethane can be useful not only for alcohols but for other glucosyl donor compounds unsuitable for the role of solvent (e.g., phenols) in the synthesis of O-β-d-glucosides by reverse hydrolysis.