Enzymatic Synthesis of Alkyl Glucosides by beta-Glucosidases in a 2-in-1 Deep Eutectic Solvent System

Alkyl glycosides are biodegradable surfactants with excellent physico-chemical properties. Although their wide-range application is considered ecofriendly, their synthesis is not due to the need for toxic organic solvents and corrosive acids as catalysts. Moreover, chemical synthesis results in complex mixtures rather than defined compounds. To overcome both disadvantages as well as the limited solubility of sugars in organic solvents, a highly selective enzymatic synthesis was set up with a beta-glucosidase condensing D-glucose and different fatty alcohols in a deep eutectic solvent.