Predictions of the solubility of flavonoids in a large variety of ionic liquids (ILs) with over 1800 available structures were examined based on COSMO-RS computation. The results show that the solubilities of flavonoids are strongly anion-dependent. Experimental measurement of the solubilities of esculin and rutin in 12 ILs with varying anions and cations show that predicted and experimental results generally have a good agreement. Based on the sound physical basis of COSMO-RS, the solubility changes of flavonoids were quantitatively associated with solvation interactions and structural characteristics of ILs. COSMO-RS derived parameters, i.e. misfit, H-bonding and van der Waals interaction energy, are shown to be capable of characterizing the complicated multiple interactions in the IL system effectively. H-bonding interaction is the most dominant interaction for ILs (followed by misfit and van der Waals interactions) to determine the solubility of flavonoids, and the anionic part has greater effect on the overall H-bonding capability of the IL. Based on basicity of anions, ILs were categorized into 3 groups, corresponding to the classification of the solubility of flavonoid. COSMO sigma-moment descriptors, which roughly denote the characteristic properties of the ILs, might be of general value to have a fast estimation for the solubilities of flavonoids as well as those compounds with massive moieties as H-bonding donors. The results obtained in this work may be important for achieving an improved understanding of IL solvations and the tailoring of the desired structures of ILs used as the media for efficient enzymatic esterification of flavonoids.

Candida antarctica lipase B-catalyzed glycerolysis of sunflower oil in a tetraammonium-based ionic liquid (IL) was studied to elucidate its distinct characteristics and to evaluate the contributions of important parameters. Mass transfer limitations and occurring partial phase separation were found to have a profound effect on the lower initial rate and the occurrence of the induction period. The investigation on the rheological behavior of the IL and its mixture with substrates showed that the plot of the viscosity of pure IL against temperature was better fitted with the Vogel–Tammann–Fulcher (VTF) equation, and the viscosity of the mixture is strongly agitation-dependent. A comparable diffusion time constant of the oil molecule in the IL to that of the reaction shows that the glycerolysis in the IL is controlled both diffusionally and kinetically, as experimentally verified by agitation effect and enzyme loading study. Interestingly, increasing water activity resulted in a decreasing initial reaction rate and a prolonged induction period, which possibly resulted from an elevated solvation barrier and the phase separation at higher water content. Studies on thermodynamics of glycerolysis show that there is a bigger energy barrier for the IL system, about 1.5 times that of the solvent-free or 3 times that of the tert-butyl alcohol system. Kinetic studies also show that IL system has the biggest V_max and K_m among the three tested systems, indicating, respectively, its high productivity, and low substrate affinity to enzyme due to mass transfer limitation.