Lipase-ultrasound assisted synthesis of polyesters

Poly (ethylene glutarate), poly (ethylene malonate) and poly (ethylene phthalate), were enzymatically synthesized by immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B in solvent free conditions. The synthesis of these polyesters was based on the ester-ester exchange reaction between ethylene glycol diacetate and di-ethyl glutarate, di-benzyl malonate, di-n-octyl phthalate to produce poly (ethylene glutarate), poly (ethylene malonate) and poly (ethylene phthalate), respectively. The effect of ultrasound and PET polymeric beads on the polyester synthesis was evaluated and showed to improve the synthesis of all polyesters. Ultrasound, as a green solvent-free technology, showed high potentiality for the polyester synthesis intensification.All authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by International Joint Research Laboratory for Textile and Fibre Bioprocesses at Jiangnan University. The authors are also thankful to the Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga (E), Mumbai-400019, India and to the Bioprocess and Bio nanotechnology Research Group (BBRG) of University of Minho. Authors would like also to acknowledge the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 Programa Operacional Regional do Norte and to the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. JUSRP51622A) 2016, Jiangsu Province Scientific Research Innovation Project for Academic Graduate Students (No. KYLX16_0788).