FATTY-ACID ESTERIFICATION USING NYLON-IMMOBILIZED LIPASE

The esterification of a long-chain fatty acid was conducted using a ny lon-immobilized lipase from Candida cylindracea in a nearly anhydrous, nonpolar organic medium, hexane. Butyl laurate was produced from laur ic acid and n-butanol at a maximum initial reaction rate of 37 mmol/h . g immobilized enzyme when the substrates were present in equimolar a mounts at an initial concentration of 0.5 mol/L. Lower rates were obta ined using nonstoichiometric amounts of the substrates. The rate of re action increased with temperature, reaching a maximum between 35 and 4 5 degrees C and decreasing sharply at higher temperatures. (C) 1995 Jo hn Wiley & Sons, Inc.