Saccharides as efficacious solubilisers for highly lipophilic compounds in aqueous media.

The bioavailability of lipophilic substrates is critical for biotransformations with isolated enzymes as well as with whole cells. With the example of a series of lipophilic ketones the suitability of saccharides as potent solubilisers for highly lipophilic substrates was demonstrated. Best results were obtained for d-glucose, which increased substrate solubility up to 50 times. In whole-cell biocatalysis the sugar acts both as solubiliser and as carbon source for which reason this procedure does not impair cell physiology and is unique in being environmentally benign. The capability of saccharides to solubilise lipophilic compounds in aqueous media sources from their ability to form hydrophilic and lipophilic domains at hydrophobic interfaces, thus forming cyclodextrin-like structures around the lipophilic substrate.