Enzymatic Synthesis of Glycerol Carbonate Using a Lipase Immobilized on Magnetic Organosilica Nanoflowers as a Catalyst

For synthesizing glycerol carbonate (GC) by a reaction between glycerol (GL) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC), a lipase immobilized on magnetic organosilica nanoflowers was prepared and utilized as a biocatalyst. Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) was chosen as a model enzyme for preparing an immobilized biocatalyst (CALB@nanoflowers). The obtained CALB@nanoflowers was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Effects of GL/DMC molar ratio, biocatalyst amount, temperature, surfactant and molecular sieve addition, and reaction time on the conversion of GL and the selectivity of CALB@nanoflowers were investigated. The optimal catalytic performance (yield of GC: 88.66% and conversion of GL: 94.24%) was achieved under the condition of 1:20 molar ratio of GL to DMC with 0.2 g of molecular sieves added at 50 °C for 24 h. After recycling seven times, the CALB@nanoflowers maintained over 79% of its initial activity and the yield of GC was 70.31%.