4. Conclusions
In this study, a series of new products with branched- and linear- fatty
acid backbone and amino acid functional groups, namely fatty acid
arginate, were successfully synthesized. The two-step synthetic is
straightforward and provided an efficient overall yield of the desired
products. The introduction of the lipid hydrophobic tail to the arginate
hydrophilic head, protonated by hydrochloride, improved the water
solubility of the lipid and, in most cases, it also improved their
antimicrobial activity. The synthesized LAE has a similar antimicrobial
activity against both Gram+ and
Gram- bacteria as the commercial LAE product. However,
its analogs are found to have antimicrobial property primarily against
Gram+ bacteria. Future studies will focus on improving the antimicrobial
property of the branched arginate compounds so that they can be useful
as surfactant, antimicrobial and anti-static agents in cosmetic and
toiletry formulations such as soaps, oral care products, and shampoos,
in addition to being useful as a preservative in the food industry.