Application of enzymes to the synthesis of surfactants.

Recent progress in the application of isolated enzymes to the preparation of surface-active compounds demonstrates the feasibility of an alternative to organosynthetic methods. Processes such as the syntheses of monoglycerides, sugar fatty acid esters, (lyso)phospholipids, anomerically pure alkyl glycosides and amino acid-based surfactants are discussed, highlighting some of the advantages of enzymatic methods over conventional organic syntheses and whole-cell systems.