• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.99-106
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• 2021

To circumvent the skin problem from phenylethanol (PhE), we have studied on the enzymatic synthesis of phenylethanol galactoside (PhE-gal) as an alternative to PhE. Base on the previous study, we optimized the reaction conditions for PhE-gal synthesis from PhE using E. coli β-galactosidase (β-gal). The optimal amount of β-gal, PhE concentration, pH, and temperature for PhE-gal synthesis were 0.45 U/ml, 1%, 8.0, 40℃, respectively. Under these conditions, about 81.9 mM PhE was converted into about 47.4 mM PhE-gal, in which the conversion yield was about 57.9%. Meanwhile, when the reaction mixture containing PhE and PhE-gal was mixed and fractionated with water-immiscible solvent (EA or MC), it was observed that PhE-gal was distributed in water phase, and PhE was distributed in solvent phase. Additionally, PhE-gal was clearly distributed into water phase when MC was used, but PE-gal was not when EA was used. In the future, we are planning to carried out the continuing study on developing an alternative cosmetic preservative using PhE-gal.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.1323-1329
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• 2020

To characterize the molecular structure of PhE-gal synthesized using Escherichia coli 𝛽-gal, NMR (¹H- and ¹³C-) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry of PhE-gal were conducted. ¹H NMR spectrum of PhE-gal showed multiple peaks corresponding to the galactosyl group, which is an evidence of galactosylation on 2-phenylethanol (PhE). Downfield proton peaks at 𝛿_H 7.30~7.21 ppm showed the presence of aromatic protons of PhE as well as benzyl CH₂ protons at 𝛿_H 2.88 ppm. Up field proton peaks at 𝛿_H 4.31 ppm, 4.07 ppm and multiple peaks from 𝛿_H 3.86~3.38 ppm are indicative of galactocylation on PhE. ¹³C NMR spectrum revealed the presence of 12 carbons suggestive of PhE-gal. Among 12 carbon peaks from PhE-gal, the four peaks at 138.7, 129.0, 128.6 and 126.5 were assigned aromatic carbons in the phenyl ring. Three peaks at 129.0, 128.6 and 126.5 showed high intensities, indicating CH aromatic carbons. ¹³C NMR data of PhE-gal showed 6 monosaccharide peaks from galactose and 2 peaks from aliphatic chain of PhE, indicating that PhE-gal was galactosyl PhE. The mass value (sodium adduct ion of PhE-gal, m/z = 307.1181) from mass spectrometry analysis of PhE-gal, and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectral data were in good agreement with the expecting structure of PhE-gal. We are expecting that through future study it will eventually be able to develop a new additive with low cytotoxicity.