Lipase-catalyzed alcoholysis of crambe oil and camelina oil for the preparation of long-chain esters

Crambe oil and camelina oil were transesterified with oleyl alcohol, the al cohols derived from crambe and camelina oils, n-octanol or isopropanol usin g Novozym 435 (immobilized lipase B from Candida antarctica), Lipozyme IM ( immobilized lipase from Rhizomucor miehei), and papaya (Carica papaya) late x lipase as biocatalysts. The highest conversions to alkyl esters were obta ined with Novozym 435 (up to 95%) in most casei, whereas Lipozyme IM and pa paya latex lipase gave lower (40 to 50%) conversions. The conversions with long-chain alcohols (oleyl alcohol, crambe alcohols, and camelina alcohols) were higher (40 to 95%) than with medium-chain n-octanol (30 to 85%). Isop ropyl esters of crambe oil and camelina oil were obtained with rather low c onversions using Novozym 435 (<40%) and Lipozyme IM (about 10%) as biocatal ysts, whereas with papaya latex lipase no isopropyl esters were formed. The conversions of crambe oil and camelina oil to oleyl and n-octyl esters usi ng Novozym 435 as biocatalyst were hardly affected by the ratio of the subs trates, but with Lipozyme IM the con-versions to alkyl esters distinctly in creased with an excess of alcohol substrate.