Esterification of octanoic acid with n-octyl alcohol over enzymatic catalysts

Abstract: Octyl octanoates were synthesized in the presence of commercially available enzymes NOVOZYM 435 i LIPOZYM Mm as catalysts in the range of concentration 0.313-1.25 of mass. %, at temperature 313-333 K, at initial mole substrate ratio (n-octyl alcohol to octanoic acid) 1/1, 3/1, 5/1. Preliminary experiments showed a possibility of synthesis of esters at relatively low reaction temperature of 323 K compared with the synthesis in the presence of classical chemicals.