THEORETICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE ENZYMATIC TRANSESTERIFICATION
OF ARIRI COCONUT OIL WITH α-BISABOLOL AND ETHANOL: A COMPARATIVE STUDY
Abstract
Transesterification is an essential process in bioproduct production,
with catalyst choice being critical for reaction efficiency and
selectivity. Lipases are effective biocatalysts due to their specificity
and mild reaction conditions. This study employed computational
chemistry and laboratory experiments to compare the enzymatic
transesterification of ariri coconut oil with α-bisabolol and ethanol.
Computational analyses using molecular dynamics (MD) and quantum
mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) evaluated reaction stability and
efficiency. The transesterification reactions carried out in the
laboratory were carried out under different conditions using
Burkholderia cepacia lipase as a biocatalyst. The products were
analyzed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Computational results
indicated that the activation energy (ΔG‡) for the reaction with
α-bisabolol exceeded 20 kcal/mol, while for ethanol, it was 19.2
kcal/mol, suggesting a lower energy barrier for ethanol. Gibbs free
energy (ΔG) was over 20 kcal/mol for α-bisabolol and 13 kcal/mol for
ethanol, confirming ethanol as more energetically favorable. Laboratory
tests showed product formation only in reactions with ethanol, aligning
with computational findings. These results demonstrate ethanol’s
efficiency for enzymatic transesterification of ariri oil. This work
contributes to bioproduct innovation by fostering sustainable processes,
leveraging local natural resources, and integrating advanced
biocatalysis and computational chemistry techniques.