Kinetic Modeling of Immobilized Lipase Catalysis in Synthesis of <i>n</i>-Butyl Levulinate

Abstract

n-Butyl levulinate is used as an important intermediate having diverse applications. The present work focuses on the synthesis of n-butyl levulinate by esterification of levulinic acid with n-butanol by using immobilized lipases. Novozym 435 (Candida antarctica lipase) was found to be the most efficient catalyst, and tetra-butyl methyl ether was the best solvent. Effects of various parameters were studied to analyze the kinetics and mechanism of the lipase action. Ping-pong bi−bi mechanism with n-butanol substrate inhibition was found to describe the kinetics of the reaction. The kinetic parameters evaluated from initial rate data were used to simulate the experimental results. There was a very good agreement between theory and experiment.