Kinetic study of enantioselective esterification of ketoprofen with n-propanol catalysed by an lipase in an organic medium

A kinetic study of an immobilised lipase esterification reaction in dipropyl ether for resolution of ketoprofen indicated a Bi Bi Ping Pong mechanism with dead-end inhibition of the alcohol was occurring for both enantiomers and this is was confirmed experimentally. Parameters in the kinetic equation and reaction activation energies for the two enantiomers were determined by non-linear regression.