The present invention provides a novel approach for the preparation of fatty alcohol esters of α-hydroxy carboxylic acids. In one form of the invention, the target fatty alcohol ester of α-hydroxy carboxylic acid is produced by converting a lower alkyl ester of α-hydroxy carboxylic acid into a fatty alcohol ester of α-hydroxy carboxylic acid via alcoholysis (i.e., transesterification). The transesterification process is an equilibrium reaction, catalyzed chemically (i.e., with acids or bases) or enzymatically, that is shifted in the desired direction to produce the desired product. One way of shifting the reaction in the direction of the desired product is by reducing the concentration of one of the products (e.g., distillation of a lower-boiling alcohol as it is formed). Another preferred way of shifting the reaction in the direction of the desired product is by increasing the concentration of one of the reactants.
本发明提供了一种制备α-羟基
羧酸脂肪醇酯的新方法。在发明的一种形式中,目标α-羟基
羧酸脂肪醇酯是通过将α-羟基
羧酸的低
碳酸酯转化为
脂肪醇酯的方式制备的,该转酯化过程是一个平衡反应,可以通过
化学催化剂(如酸或碱)或酶催化剂进行催化,以产生所需的产物。将反应向所需产物方向转移的一种方式是通过降低其中一种产物的浓度(例如,随着低沸点醇的形成进行蒸馏)。另一种首选的将反应向所需产物方向转移的方式是通过增加其中一种反应物的浓度。