Lipase-catalysed ester synthesis in solvent-free oil system: Is it esterification or transesterification?

Ester synthesis was carried out in a solvent-free system of lipase, coconut oil and ethanol or fusel alcohols to ascertain the reaction mechanism. During ester formation, octanoic and decanoic acids increased initially and then decreased gradually, indicating that ester production was a two-step reaction consisting of hydrolysis and esterification, rather than alcoholysis. With ethanol as the alcohol substrate, added butyric acid inhibited ester...