Kinetics of esterification of lauric acid with fatty alcohols by lipase: effect of fatty alcohol

Lauric acid has been esterified with some C-1-C-18 aliphatic alcohols by a commercial lipase, Lipolase 100 L, using isooctane as a solvent. When lauric acid and fatty alcohols were taken in the mole ratio 1:1, first order kinetics were observed for all the alcohols studied. The highest reaction rate was observed for n-butyl alcohol. Lauric acid was esterified with stearyl alcohol, in varying acid to alcohol mole ratios to explain the first order kinetics of the reaction. A kinetic model for the lipase-catalysed esterification in a biphasic organic-aqueous system has been proposed. Based on the interfacial substrate concentration, an analytical rate equation for initial rate of the reaction was derived and confirmed with the experimental data. (C) 2002 Society of Chemical Industry.