Using glucose/rac. 2-alkanols as carbon sources for the cultivation of Candida bombicola novel types of sophorose lipids were isolated as major products. Among all lipophilic constituents 2-alkanol was found as the major hydrophobic moiety (> 75%) involved in three new sophorose lipids differing only in the, degree of acetylation of the sophorose. Additional monooxygenation of the alcohol leads to the incorporation of 2,(omega-1)-alkandiol; glycolipids with up to four glucose units were obtained.