Assessing the Role of Molecular Sieves in Continuous Enzymatic Synthesis of Geranyl Acetate

Geranyl acetate is a geraniol ester widely used as a flavoring agent and preservative in food and cosmetic products due to its pleasant aroma, antimicrobial properties, and low toxicity. This study investigated the production of geranyl acetate by esterification of geraniol with acetic acid at a 3:1 molar ratio in a solvent-free packed bed reactor using Novozym 435 as biocatalyst. Additionally, the influence of molecular sieves on process performance was evaluated. The results showed that geranyl acetate conversions reached approximately 100% (w/w) at flow rates of 0.1 and 0.2 mL/min, both in the presence and absence of molecular sieves. Thus, the addition of these adsorbents did not provide any benefit to the reaction. Consequently, the preferred approach for continuous synthesis of geranyl acetate in a packed bed reactor is to use Novozym 435 without molecular sieves. This strategy simplifies the process, reduces costs, and maintains conversion efficiency over time, offering valuable insights for the industrial development of direct esterification processes using biocatalysts in continuous systems.