Immobilized Lipases in the Synthesis of Short-Chain Esters: An Overview of Constraints and Perspectives

Biocatalysis—specifically the use of immobilized lipases—has been proposed as a greener alternative for ester production. Several critical challenges, such as the high cost of biocatalysts, are delaying the industrial implementation of biocatalysis. Moreover, for short-chain ester synthesis, the strong inhibition/inactivation potential of short-chain acids and alcohols on lipases leads to long reaction cycles and/or the need to use organic solvents to overcome the limitations of solvent-free systems and, consequently, the decrease in product concentrations. This review presents an overview of the scientific developments in enzymatic short-chain ester synthesis, compiling the constraints on their syntheses from a process perspective, including insights about key performance indicators (KPI) and economic parameters.