초록
<P>A biocatalytic synthesis of glycerol carbonate (GlyC), as an added-value product of renewable glycerol, has been developed using a catalytic route in which glycerol (Gly) was reacting with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) in the presence of lipase under solvent-free conditions. The enzyme screening indicated lipase from <I>Aspergillus niger</I> as the most efficient biocatalyst for the GlyC synthesis. After the optimization of the reaction conditions it was established that the best results corresponded to 12% (w/w) <I>Aspergillus niger</I> lipase, to a glycerol : DMC molar ratio of 1 : 10, to an incubation time of 4 h and to an incubation temperature of 60 °C. Consequently, the glycerol conversion was around 74%, the yield in GlyC of 59.3% and the selectivity to GlyC of 80.3%. Recycling experiments demonstrated that the biocatalyst can be successfully used for several reaction cycles (at least 4 times) and confirmed its very high stability under the reaction conditions.</P><BR><BR><P>Graphic Abstract</P><P>An eco-friendly, performant and economic biocatalytic route with lipase extracted from <I>Aspergillus niger</I> as an efficient biocatalyst is suggested for the glycerol carbonate synthesis.<BR><IMG SRC='http://pubs.rsc.org/services/images/RSCpubs.ePlatform.Service.FreeContent.ImageService.svc/ImageService/image/GA?id=c2gc16294f'><BR></P>