Biocatalytic one-step synthesis of n-octyl β-D-xylotrioside and xylobioside from xylan and n-octanol in supercritical carbon dioxide

n-Octyl β-D-xylotrioside and xylobioside, which are effective next generation surfactants, can be prepared by the one-step reaction of xylan and n-octanol using acetone powder (acetone-dried cells) of Aureobasidium pullulans KK415 (ATCC 201145) as the enzyme source of xylanase in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂). Yields of the octyl glycosides were significantly increased using scCO₂. Furthermore, without scCO₂, n-octyl xylotrioside was hardly produced.