Intensified Process for Low Temperature Enzymatic Conversion of Biodiesel-Derived Methyl Palmitate to Isopropyl Palmitate Using a FAU Zeolite Membrane Reactor

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Isopropyl palmitate, a fatty acid ester widely used in personal care and cosmetic formulations, was synthesized enzymatically via transesterification of methyl palmitate with isopropanol using Novozym 435 in tert -butanol. A critical challenge in this reaction is the thermodynamic equilibrium limitation, necessitating a large excess of isopropanol to achieve high conversion. To overcome this limitation, the present work pioneers the integration of FAU zeolite membrane reactors for in situ methanol byproduct removal. FAU zeolite membranes selectively separate methanol from binary and ternary alcohol mixtures. Reaction kinetics followed a second-order reversible model, with a pre-exponential factor of 5.59 × 10 2 mol –1 h –1 g cat –1 and an activation energy of 18.71 kJ mol –1 . At 33 °C and a 5:1 isopropanol/methyl palmitate ratio, conventional batch conversion plateaued at ∼70%, whereas membrane reactor integration enhanced conversion to 85%. Membrane stability assessments indicated tolerance to alcohols, though extended exposure to the catalytic environment may affect long-term integrity.