| Abstract: | The rate of isomerization of 1,2-dibutyrin has been examined as a function of solvent, water activity, enzyme and the presence of hexanoic acid. The rate of acyl migration was found to be solvent dependent. Decreasing solvent polarity gave increasing rate. Addition of water to the most nonpolar solvent used, hexane, led to a decrease which followed the water activity. When solid salt hydrates were included in the reaction mixture, some led to no migration. When yeast alcohol dehydrogenase, lysozyme, lipase from Geotrichum candidum or hexanoic acid were present, the migration rate increased with increasing water activity. |
