Enzymatic epoxidation of methyl fatty acid esters of vegetable origin and their applications as an alternative to replace petroleum derivatives

Abstract

Recently, vegetable oils modification to obtain methyl esters of fatty acids (FAME) or biodiesel has emerged as an alternative for substituting petroleum derivatives, due to the environmental and health problems generated with their use. Owing to its chemical structure it is possible to epoxidize these molecules and use them directly to produce plasticizers or lubricants. However, these can also be subject to modifications for improving their properties and, at best, serve as intermediaries in polyurethanes synthesis. Since epoxide conventional production methods are potential source of contamination, the use of enzymatic catalysts has been suggested as a sustainable or "green" alternative for their preparation, since they allow obtaining products with high purity and better yields. This article presents a review of the available literature focusing on the enzymatic epoxidation of the FAMEs, as well as their main applications.