Enzyme-assisted preparation of pure alkanedicarboxylic acid monoesters: chain-length dependence of porcine liver esterase (PLE)-catalysed hydrolyses

Abstract

Porcine liver esterase (PLE)-catalysed hydrolyses of alkanedicarboxylic esters MeO₂C-(CH₂)_n-CO₂Me lead exclusively to pure monoesters if n⩽ 7. Suprisingly, the yeilds are dramatically dependent on the chain length and drop sharply to zero for n 8. Using the active site model for PLE an interpretation of these surprising observations is attempted.