Enzymatic synthesis of rose aromatic ester (2-phenylethyl acetate) by lipase

• Published in: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
• Main Authors: Kuo, Chia-Hung, Chiang, Shu-Hua, Ju, Hen-Yi, Chen, Yu-Min, Liao, Ming-Yuan, Liu, Yung-Chuan, Shieh, Chwen-Jen
• Other Authors: Wei Chun Wang
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: lipase; 2-phenylethyl acetate; kinetics; acetylation; transesterification; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11455/63352; https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.5599

BACKGROUND: 2-Phenylethyl acetate (2-PEAc) is a highly valued natural volatile ester with a rose-like odour that is widely used to add scent or flavour to cosmetics, soaps, foods and drinks. In this study, 2-PEAc was synthesised enzymatically by transesterification of vinyl acetate with 2-phenethyl alcohol catalysed by immobilised lipase (Novozym 435) from Candida antarctica. RESULTS: Response surface methodology and a three-level/three-factor Box–Behnken design were used to evaluate the effects of time, temperature and enzyme amount on the molar conversion % of 2-PEAc. The results showed that temperature was the most important variable. Based on the ridge max analysis results, optimum enzymatic synthesis conditions were predicted as a reaction time of 79 min, a temperature of 57.8 ◦C and an enzyme amount of 122.5 mg. The predicted and experimental yields were 86.4 and 85.4% respectively. CONCLUSION: Three immobilised lipases were screened and 15 reaction conditions were tested in order to find the combination for maximum yield. The optimisation of 2-PEAc synthesis catalysed by Novozym 435 was successfully developed. The kinetic study of this transesterification reaction showed that it followed an ordered ping-pong bi-bimechanism without any inhibition by reactants.