Method for producing fatty alcohol esters of hydroxycarboxylic acids

1. A method for producing fatty alcohol esters of 3-hydroxybutyric acid,

(A) wherein, according to a first synthesis route (A), at least one compound of the general formula (Ia)

CH 3 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —C(O)OR 1   (Ia)

wherein, in the general formula (Ia), the radical R 1 represents hydrogen or C 1 -C 4 -alkyl,

is reacted with at least one fatty alcohol (II) selected from C 10 -C 30 -fatty alcohols,

wherein the reaction is carried out in the absence of any solvents,

wherein the reaction is carried out in the presence of an enzyme as a catalyst, wherein the catalyst is recycled after the reaction, and

wherein during the reaction, the compound according to the general formula (IVa)

R 1 —OH  (IVa)

is formed simultaneously, wherein, in general formula (IVa), the radical R 1 represents hydrogen or C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, wherein the compound according to the general formula (IVa) is continuously withdrawn from the reaction;

or else

(B) wherein, according to a second synthesis route (B), which is alternative to synthesis route (A), at least one compound of the general formula (Ib)

CH 3 —CH(OR 2 )—CH 2 —C(O)—O—C(O)—CH 2 —CH(OR 2 )—CH 3   (Ib)

wherein, in the general formula (Ib), the radical R 2 represents an acyl group selected from an acetyl group of formula —C(O)—CH 3 or a propionyl group of formula —C(O)—C 2 H 5 ,

is reacted with at least one fatty alcohol (II) selected from C 10 -C 30 -fatty alcohols, followed by hydrolysis of the acyl group;

so that, as a reaction product (III), in each case a C 10 -C 30 -fatty alcohol ester of 3-hydroxybutyric acid is obtained.

2. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein, according to synthesis route (A), the enzyme is selected from synthetases, catalases, esterases, lipases and combinations thereof; and

wherein, according to synthesis route (A), the enzyme is used in immobilized form on a carrier; and

wherein, according to synthesis route (A), the enzyme is used in amounts, based on the total amount of starting compounds (la) and (II), in the range of from 0.001% by weight to 20% by weight.

3. The method according claim 1 ,

wherein, according to synthesis route (A), the compound of the general formula (Ia) and the fatty alcohol (II) are used in a molar ratio of compound of the general formula (Ia)/fatty alcohol (II) in a range of from 1:1 to 10:1.

4. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein, according to synthesis route (B), the reaction is carried out in the absence of any solvents; and

wherein, according to synthesis route (B), the reaction is carried out autocatalytically or in the presence of a catalyst; and

wherein, according to synthesis route (B), the compound of general formula (Ib) and the fatty alcohol (II) are used in a molar ratio of compound of the general formula (Ib)/fatty alcohol (II) in a range of from 1:1 to 10:1.

5. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein, according to synthesis route (B), the hydrolysis of the acyl group is carried out in the presence of an enzyme as a catalyst;

wherein the enzyme is selected from synthetases (ligases), catalases, esterases, lipases and combinations thereof; and

wherein the enzyme is used in immobilized form on a carrier; and

wherein the enzyme is used in amounts, based on the total amount of the compound to be hydrolyzed, in the range of from 0.001% by weight to 20% by weight; and

wherein the enzyme is recycled after the hydrolysis reaction.

6. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the fatty alcohol (II) corresponds to the general formula (II′)

R 3 —OH  (II′)

wherein the radical R 3 represents a linear or branched, saturated or mono- or polyunsaturated aliphatic C 10 -C 30 -alkyl radical.

7. The method according to claim 6 ,

wherein the radical R 3 represents a 1-decanyl radical, a 1-dodecanyl radical, a 1-tetradecanyl radical, a 1-hexadecanyl radical, a 1-heptadecanyl radical, a 1-octadecanyl radical, a 1-eicosanyl radical, a 1-docosanyl radical, a 1-tetracosanyl radical, a 1-hexacosanyl radical, a 1-octacosanyl radical, a 1-tricontanyl radical, a cis-9-hexadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a trans-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-11-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis, cis-9,12-octadecadien-1-yl radical or a 6,9,12-octadecatrien-1-yl radical.

8. The method according to according to claim 1 ,

wherein the fatty alcohol (II) is selected from linear, saturated or mono- or polyunsaturated, aliphatic monohydric and primary C 10 -C 30 -fatty alcohols; and

wherein the fatty alcohol (II) is selected from the group of 1-decanol, 1-dodecanol, 1-tetradecanol, 1-hexadecanol, 1-heptadecanol, 1-octadecanol, 1-eicosanol, 1-docosanol, 1-tetracosanol, 1-hexacosanol, 1-octacosanol, 1-tricontanol, cis-9-hexadecen-1-ol, cis-9-octadecen-1-ol, trans-9-octadecen-1-ol, cis-11-octadecen-1-ol, cis,cis-9,12-octadecadien-1-ol, 6,9,12-octadecatrien-1-ol and combinations thereof.

9. A fatty alcohol ester of acylated 3-hydroxybutyric acid,

wherein the fatty alcohol ester of acylated 3-hydroxybutyric acid is a fatty alcohol ester of acylated 3-hydroxybutyric acid of the general formula (IIIa)

CH 3 —CH(OR 2 )—CH 2 —C(O)OR 3   (IIIa)

wherein, in the general formula (IIIa),

R 2 represents an acyl group selected from an acetyl group of formula —C(O)—CH 3 and a propionyl group of formula —C(O)—C 2 H 5 ,

the radical R 3 represents a 1-decanyl radical, a 1-dodecanyl radical, a 1-tetradecanyl radical, a 1-hexadecanyl radical, a 1-heptadecanyl radical, a 1-octadecanyl radical, a 1-eicosanyl radical, a 1-docosanyl radical, a 1-tetracosanyl radical, a 1-hexacosanyl radical, a 1-octacosanyl radical, a 1-tricontanyl radical, a cis-9-hexadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a trans-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-11-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis, cis-9,12-octadecadien-1-yl radical or a 6,9,12-octadecatrien-1-yl radical.

10. A pharmaceutical composition,

wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises at least one of (i) and (ii):

(i) a fatty alcohol ester of 3-hydroxybutyric acid, wherein the fatty alcohol ester of 3-hydroxybutyric acid corresponds to the general formula (III′)

CH 3 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —C(O)OR 3   (III′)

wherein the radical R 3 represents a 1-tetradecanyl radical, a 1-hexadecanyl radical, a 1-heptadecanyl radical, a 1-octadecanyl radical, a 1-eicosanyl radical, a 1-docosanyl radical, a 1-tetracosanyl radical, a 1-tricontanyl radical, a cis-9-hexadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a trans-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-11-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis, cis-9,12-octadecadien-1-yl radical or a 6,9,12-octadecatrien-1-yl radical;

(ii) a fatty alcohol ester of acylated 3-hydroxybutyric acid, wherein the fatty alcohol ester of acylated 3-hydroxybutyric acid is a fatty alcohol ester of acylated 3-hydroxybutyric acid of the general formula (IIIa)

CH 3 —CH(OR 2 )—CH 2 —C(O)OR 3   (IIIa)

wherein, in the general formula (IIIa),

R 2 represents an acyl group selected from an acetyl group of formula —C(O)—CH 3 and a propionyl group of formula —C(O)—C 2 H 5 ,

the radical R 3 represents a 1-decanyl radical, a 1-dodecanyl radical, a 1-tetradecanyl radical, a 1-hexadecanyl radical, a 1-heptadecanyl radical, a 1-octadecanyl radical, a 1-eicosanyl radical, a 1-docosanyl radical, a 1-tetracosanyl radical, a 1-hexacosanyl radical, a 1-octacosanyl radical, a 1-tricontanyl radical, a cis-9-hexadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a trans-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-11-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis, cis-9,12-octadecadien-1-yl radical or a 6,9,12-octadecatrien-1-yl radical.

11. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 10 ,

wherein the pharmaceutical composition is a drug or medicament.

12. A method of treating a human suffering from a disease,

wherein the method comprises a step of administering to said human an efficient dose of a pharmaceutical composition, wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises at least one of (i) and (ii):

(i) a fatty alcohol ester of 3-hydroxybutyric acid, wherein the fatty alcohol ester of 3-hydroxybutyric acid corresponds to the general formula (III′)

CH 3 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —C(O)OR 3   (III′)

wherein the radical R 3 represents a 1-tetradecanyl radical, a 1-hexadecanyl radical, a 1-heptadecanyl radical, a 1-octadecanyl radical, a 1-eicosanyl radical, a 1-docosanyl radical, a 1-tetracosanyl radical, a 1-tricontanyl radical, a cis-9-hexadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a trans-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-11-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis, cis-9,12-octadecadien-1-yl radical or a 6,9,12-octadecatrien-1-yl radical;

(ii) a fatty alcohol ester of acylated 3-hydroxybutyric acid, wherein the fatty alcohol ester of acylated 3-hydroxybutyric acid is a fatty alcohol ester of acylated 3-hydroxybutyric acid of the general formula (IIIa)

CH 3 —CH(OR 2 )—CH 2 —C(O)OR 3   (IIIa)

wherein, in the general formula (IIIa),

R 2 represents an acyl group selected from an acetyl group of formula —C(O)—CH 3 and a propionyl group of formula —C(O)—C 2 H 5 ,

the radical R 3 represents a 1-decanyl radical, a 1-dodecanyl radical, a 1-tetradecanyl radical, a 1-hexadecanyl radical, a 1-heptadecanyl radical, a 1-octadecanyl radical, a 1-eicosanyl radical, a 1-docosanyl radical, a 1-tetracosanyl radical, a 1-hexacosanyl radical, a 1-octacosanyl radical, a 1-tricontanyl radical, a cis-9-hexadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a trans-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-11-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis, cis-9,12-octadecadien-1-yl radical or a 6,9,12-octadecatrien-1-yl radical.

13. The method according to claim 12 ,

wherein the disease is selected from the group consisting of diseases associated with a disorder of the energy metabolism, diseases associated with a keto-body metabolism, craniocerebral trauma, stroke, hypoxia, cardiovascular diseases, myocardial infarction, refeeding syndrome, anorexia, epilepsy, neurodegenerative diseases, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, fat metabolic diseases, glucose transporter defect (GLUT1 defect), VL-FAOD and mitochondriopathies, mitochondrial thiolase defect, Huntington's disease, cancers, T-cell lymphomas, astrocytomas and glioblastomas, HIV, rheumatic diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and arthritis urica, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, lyosomal storage diseases, sphingolipidosis, Niemann-Pick disease, diabetes mellitus and effects or side-effects of chemotherapy.

14. A food product,

wherein the food product comprises at least one of (i) and (ii):

(i) a fatty alcohol ester of 3-hydroxybutyric acid, wherein the fatty alcohol ester of 3-hydroxybutyric acid corresponds to the general formula (III′)

CH 3 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —C(O)OR 3   (III′)

wherein the radical R 3 represents a 1-tetradecanyl radical, a 1-hexadecanyl radical, a 1-heptadecanyl radical, a 1-octadecanyl radical, a 1-eicosanyl radical, a 1-docosanyl radical, a 1-tetracosanyl radical, a 1-tricontanyl radical, a cis-9-hexadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a trans-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-11-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis, cis-9,12-octadecadien-1-yl radical or a 6,9,12-octadecatrien-1-yl radical;

(ii) a fatty alcohol ester of acylated 3-hydroxybutyric acid, wherein the fatty alcohol ester of acylated 3-hydroxybutyric acid is a fatty alcohol ester of acylated 3-hydroxybutyric acid of the general formula (IIIa)

CH 3 —CH(OR 2 )—CH 2 —C(O)OR 3   (IIIa)

wherein, in the general formula (IIIa),

R 2 represents an acyl group selected from an acetyl group of formula —C(O)—CH 3 and a propionyl group of formula —C(O)—C 2 H 5 ,

the radical R 3 represents a 1-decanyl radical, a 1-dodecanyl radical, a 1-tetradecanyl radical, a 1-hexadecanyl radical, a 1-heptadecanyl radical, a 1-octadecanyl radical, a 1-eicosanyl radical, a 1-docosanyl radical, a 1-tetracosanyl radical, a 1-hexacosanyl radical, a 1-octacosanyl radical, a 1-tricontanyl radical, a cis-9-hexadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a trans-9-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis-11-octadecen-1-yl radical, a cis, cis-9,12-octadecadien-1-yl radical or a 6,9,12-octadecatrien-1-yl radical.