Enzymic Hydrolysis of Methyl 2,3-O-Acetyl-5-Deoxy-α and β-D-Xylofuranosides - An Active-Site Model of Pig Liver Esterase

Abstract The regioselective enzymic hydrolysis of methyl 2,3-di-O-acetyl-5-deoxy-α-D-xylofuranoside (1) and methyl 2,3-di-O-acetyl-5-deoxy-β-D-xylofuranoside (2) in the presence of pig liver esterase (PLE) was studied by GLC. Diacetate 2 gave exclusively methyl 3-O-acetyl-5-deoxy-β-D-xylofuranoside (6) while diacetate 1 produced both methyl 2-O-acetyl-5-deoxy-α-D-xylofuranoside (3) and methyl 3-O-acetyl-5-deoxy-α-D- xylofuranoside (4) in low yield. At high conversion, methyl 5-deoxy-α-D-xylofuranoside (7) was the only product. The first-order rate constants, Michaelis constants, and maximal velocities were determined for 1, 2, and the monoacetates 3 - 6. The results were interpreted on the basis of a recent active-site model for PLE.