Derivatives of Native Sophorolipids

Diacetylated lactonic sophorolipids have both esteric and glycosidic bonds which exhibit different sensitivities to either acid or alkaline hydrolysis. The latter will only hydrolyse the esters whereas acid hydrolysis at first cleaves the esters and, under more harsh reaction conditions, removes the sophorose moiety to yield a hydroxy fatty acid. In performing alkaline hydrolysis, the gradual removal of the esters transforms the solid 

Product A has been shown to exhibit excellent wetting properties and, due the increased solubility and free carboxyl group, has the potential to act as a calcium sequestering agent while the aldehyde function of product B is a likely starting point for further chemical derivatization [24]. 

The resulting product is subjected to enzymatic acetylation using vinyl acetate to reattach acetyl groups at positions 6 and 6 . Different esters, as well as the naturally produced sophoroiipids, were shown to have inhibitory effects on bacteria such as E. coli and a species of Salmonella, in particular from the ethyl ester, which for those two bacteria has a minimal inhibitory (50%) concentration of below lOmg/1. Experiments 

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