Supported ionic liquids in Burkholderia cepacia lipase-catalyzed asymmetric acylation

Lipase PS from Burkholderia cepacia was successfully immobilized on Kynol™ ACC 507-15 active carbon cloth with and without ionic liquids as SILE catalysts. Activity, enantioselectivity and reuse of the catalysts were evaluated in the acylation of 1-phenylethanol with vinyl acetate in toluene and in hexane over the temperature range 25–60 °C. The presence of [EMIM][NTf2] clearly stabilized the enzyme against inactivation and preserved enantioselectivity in reuse in a process which is affected by the nature of the IL, solvent and substrate structure.