Outperformance in Acrylation: Supported D-Glucose-Based Ionic Liquid Phase on MWCNTs for Immobilized Lipase B from as Catalytic System.

This study presents a highly efficient method of a synthesis of -butyl acrylate via esterification of acrylic acid and -butanol in the presence of supported ionic liquid phase (SILP) biocatalyst consisting of the lipase B from (CALB) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) modified by D-glucose-based ionic liquids. Favorable reaction conditions (acrylic acid: -butanol molar ratio 1:2, cyclohexane as a solvent, biocatalyst 0.150 g per 1 mmol of acrylic acid, temperature 25 °C) allowed the achievement of a 99% yield of -butyl acrylate in 24 h. Screening of various ionic liquids showed that the most promising result was obtained if -(6-deoxy-1--methoxy-α-D-glucopyranosyl)-,,-trimethylammonium bis-(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([N(CH)GlcOCH][N(Tf)]) was selected in order to modify the outer surface of MWCNTs. The final SILP biocatalyst-CNTs-[N(CH)GlcOCH][N(Tf)]-CALB contained 1.8 wt.% of IL and 4.2 wt.% of CALB. Application of the SILP biocatalyst led to the enhanced activity of CALB in comparison with the biocatalyst prepared via physical adsorption of CALB onto MWCNTs (CNTs-CALB), as well as with commercially available Novozyme 435. Thus, the crucial role of IL in the stabilization of biocatalysts was clearly demonstrated. In addition, a significant stability of the developed biocatalytic system was confirmed (three runs with a yield of ester over 90%).