Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft

Aventis Research & Technologies Gmbh & Co Kg

Werner & Mertz Gmbh

Plasmabionic Gmbh

Andreas Brakemeier

Dieter Wullbrandt

Siegmund Lang

Fritz Wagner

Carlo Giani

Günter Grabher

Andreas Seiffert-St&ouml;ricko

Vera Gratzl

Kadira Nedic

Ralf Haak

Schirin Kühnapfel

Gaffar Hossain

The invention relates to sophoroselipids of formula (I) wherein R represents H, &mdash;CH CH , &mdash;CH CH CH , n is an integer number from 2 to 27, R and R represent, independently from each other, H or a group of formula (II), and R represents H or &mdash;OH. The invention also relates to a method for producing sophoroselipids of formula (I) wherein R , R , R and n have the aforementioned meanings and R represents &mdash;CH , &mdash;CH CH or &mdash;CH CH CH . According to this method, a yeast capable of secreting a sophoroselipid in the form of a lactone in the culture excess, is fermented in a culture medium containing a glycerin. a succinate, a mono-, di- and/or tri-saccharide and a lipid precursor, said sophoroslipid being then isolated from the culture solution. The inventive method is characterised in that the lipid precursor contains one or more 3-alkanols, 4-alkanols or an alkanone with a chain length from 6 to 30 carbon atoms or mixtures of said alkanoistalkanone. Furthermore, according to a variant of the aforementioned method for producing sophoroselipids of formula (I), wherein R , R , R and n have the meanings aforementioned and R represents &mdash;CH , &mdash;CH CH or &mdash;CH CH CH , the culture medium is maintained during fermentation under a reduced oxygen concentration. The new sophoroselipids may be used, e.g., as surfactants, cosmetics, disinfecting agents or pharmaceutical products.

Sophoroselipids, method for their production and use

The present invention relates to glucose- and sophorose-lipids of the formula I ##STR1## in which R.sup.4 is --OH or a group of the formula II, ##STR2## n is an integer from 2 to 26, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are, independently of one another, H or ##STR3## R.sup.3 is H or --OH in the case where R.sup.4 is --OH, and is H or --OH or a group of the formula III, ##STR4## in the case where R.sup.4 is a group of the formula II, to a process for obtaining them by fermentation, and to their use as surfactants.

Glucose- and sophorose-lipids, a process for their preparation and their

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Braunschweig, Germany

Andreas Brakemeier