Direct biocatalysed synthesis of first sulfur-, selenium- and tellurium- containing l-ascorbyl hybrid derivatives with radical trapping and GPx-like properties.

6-O-l-Ascorbyl selenoesters, thioesters and telluroesters can be efficiently and directly prepared from l-ascorbic acid and suitable functionalised chalcogenoesters through lipase-catalysed transesterification reactions. Novel synthesised l-ascorbyl derivatives exhibited remarkable chain breaking and glutathione peroxidase-like activities.