Enzymatic synthesis of various 1′-O-sucrose and 1-O-fructose esters

A crude preparation of the proteolytic enzyme subtilisin has been used to catalyse the regioselective esterification of sucrose in anhydrous dimethylformamide. In this way 1′-O-sucrose esters bearing acyl groups of different sizes and types have been synthesized. These sucrose derivatives have been hydrolysed by yeast α-glucosidase to the corresponding 1-O-fructose esters, not easily attainable by chemical methods.