Rapid biocatalytic polytransesterification: reaction kinetics in an exothermic reaction

Biocatalytic polytransesterification at high concentrations of monomers proceeds rapidly and is accompanied by an increase in the temperature of the reaction mixture due to liberation of heat of reaction during the initial phase. We have used principles of reaction calorimetry to monitor the kinetics of polymerization during this initial phase, thus relating the temperature to the extent of polymerization. Rate of polymerization increases with the concentration of monomers. This is also reflected by the increase in the temperature of the reaction mixture. Using time-temperature-conversion contours, a differential method of kinetic analysis was used to calculate the energy of activation ( approximately 15.1 Kcal/mol). Copyright 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.