Biocatalysis in organic solvents: a process for multigram synthesis of 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-D-glucitol 2-acetate and its isomeric 5-acetate using immobilized lipase from P seudomonas sp.

1,4:3,6-dianhydro-D-glucitol 2-acetate (4) and its isomeric 5-actetate (2) derivatives has been prepared on multigram scale using immobilized Pseudomonas sp. lipase mediated acylation/deacylation reactions in organic solvents. The acylation of 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-D-glucitol (1) occurred in ethyl acetate while the deacylation of 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-D-glucitol 2,5-diacetate (3) in n-butanol almost quantitatively in 64 and 48 h, respectively. The lipase was immobilized on amberlite XAD-7 resin and recycled five times without any loss in activity.