Patent ID: 8105809

Claim:
A method for the synthesis of an ester derivative of acetoacetate, comprising providing a first ester of acetoacetate having of formula I: wherein R1 is either an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, halogenated alkyl, cycloalkyl, aliphatic, aryl, or an aralkyl group; providing a compound selected from the group consisting of glucose and glycerol; and combining the first ester of acetoacetate and the compound in the presence of an enzyme capable of transesterification selected from the group consisting of esterase Thermoanaerobium brockii , and Esterase 20 (E020) in a non-aqueous solvent selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, methyl tertiary butyl ester (MTBE), tetrahydrofuran (THF), acetone, and toluene thereby forming the ester derivative of acetoacetate.