Bio-based surfactants: enzymatic functionalization and production from renewable resources

Area of Science:

• Biocatalysis and Green Chemistry
• Sustainable Materials Science

Background:

• Growing market demand for bio-based surfactants derived from renewable feedstocks.
• Need for sustainable synthesis routes to replace conventional petrochemical-based surfactants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review enzymatic strategies for synthesizing bio-based surfactants.
• To highlight the coupling of carbohydrate head groups with fatty acid tails using enzymes.

Main Methods:

• Enzymatic esterification and glycoside formation using transferases, lipases, and glycoside hydrolases.
• Enzymatic reductive amination for coupling carbohydrate and fatty acid components.
• Enzymatic functionalization of carbohydrates followed by click chemistry, involving LPMOs, oxidases, and dehydrogenases.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated successful linkage of various mono- and oligosaccharides with fatty acids via enzymatic catalysis.
• Showcased enzymatic oxidation (C6 or C1) for converting nonionic surfactants to anionic counterparts.
• Highlighted the versatility of enzymatic approaches for diverse bio-based surfactant structures.

Conclusions:

• Enzymatic synthesis offers efficient and sustainable routes to bio-based surfactants.
• Enzymatic functionalization and coupling are key strategies for producing novel carbohydrate-based surfactants.
• Biocatalysis provides a green alternative for producing high-demand anionic surfactants.