Reactor engineering for the enzymatic synthesis of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural stearate in a batch bioreactor and a packed bed flow bioreactor
Nadia Guajardo·Georgina Sandoval·Roberto I. Canales·María Elena Lienqueo·Nicolás Gajardo-Parra·Esteban Cea-Klapp
The enzymatic esterification of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) with long-chain fatty acids offers a sustainable route for producing biolubricants and other high-value chemicals. This work evaluates the synthesis of 5-hidroxymethylfurfural stearate catalyzed by immobilized lipases in both batch and continuous packed-bed bioreactors, combining molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with experimental validation to identify suitable green solvents. Four solvents were tested: 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol (2-MB)