Kinetics of lipase-catalysed methyl gallate production in the presence of deep eutectic solvent

Production of methyl gallate (MG), which is an important phenolic acid ester for pharmaceutical industry, was carried out by Novozym 435-catalysed transesterification of propyl gallate (PG) with methanol in a deep eutectic solvent. Reaction parameters governing substrate molar ratio, enzyme concentration, temperature and agitation rate were investigated batch-wise in choline chloride:glycerol-water binary mixture. The results were evaluated in terms of conversion of PG, yield of MG and hydrolysis of PG to gallic acid. 10% (w/w) of water was found to be favourable in the reaction medium for low hydrolysis percent. The highest conversion (17.4%) and yield (60.4%) but the lowest hydrolysis (2%) after 120?h of transesterification were found at PG/methanol molar ratio of 1:6, enzyme concentration of 40?g/L, 50?°C and 200?rpm. A kinetic model based on the Ping-Pong Bi–Bi mechanism for transesterification of PG was proposed with the assumption that there were no internal and external mass transfer resistances.