Lipase catalyzed formation of fatty amides

Certain lipase preparations were found to facilitate the preparation of fatty amides at 20°C in hexane. Lipase preparations investigated were from the fungiCandida rugosa, Rhizomucor miehei and porcine pancreas. Reactants were various primary alkylamines and fatty acid methyl esters or triglycerides. Moderate yields of fatty amides were obtained using aR. miehei lipase preparation which is immobilized on a solid support as catalyst, although all three lipase preparations showed some catalytic activity under these conditions and, in addition, showed different kinds of selectivity for fatty acid and alkylamine chain lengths. No reaction was observed in similar experiments using one fatty acid as the substrate or one secondary amine.