Synthesis of geranyl cinnamate by lipase‐catalyzed reaction and its evaluation as an antimicrobial agent

BACKGROUND Essential oils are complex mixtures of a variety of volatile molecules which can easily be decomposed depending on the industrial application. Geraniol is a terpene alcohol found in many essential oils from aromatic plants and its antimicrobial property increases its use as an important additive for the food industry. RESULTS Through experimental design 75% of geranyl cinnamate was obtained under reaction conditions of 70 °C, 15 wt% of immobilized C. antarctica NS88011 , and 3:1 geraniol to cinnamic acid molar ratio. Kinetic assay showed it was possible to improve the enzymatic esterification reaction (97%) under reaction conditions of 80 °C, 20 wt% of immobilized NS88011 lipase and 5:1 geraniol to cinnamic acid molar ratio. The antimicrobial activity of the geranyl cinnamate ester was tested on bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration ( MIC ) and agar diffusion and the compound showed excellent antimicrobial activity for the two bacteria, with a bactericidal effect. CONCLUSION The results showed the promise of a technique to overcome the well‐known drawbacks of the chemical‐catalyzed route to obtain a high‐value compound. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry