Abstract
Efficient preparation methods for 1-lysophosphatidylcholine (1-LPC), a physiologically important compound, are lacking. Here, we established a method for 1-LPC preparation via Novozym® 435 (a lipase B from Candida antarctica)-catalyzed ethanolysis. Novozym® 435 showed sn-1 regiospecificity to phosphatidylcholine, although it does not exhibit regiospecificity to triacylglycerol. In particular, quantitative 1-LPC yields (96.5 ± 0.2 mol%) were reliably obtained in the presence of Novozym® 435 (100 wt% of PC), 97 % ethanol, in 72 h at 40 °C. During the reaction, acyl migration from 1-LPC to 2-LPC was rare. This novel synthetic method is expected to expand the practical applications of 1-LPC.