Sustainable synthesis of massoia lactone from liamocin polyol lipids produced by Aureobasidium pullulans

Authors: Wegener, Evan; Skory, Christopher

Submitted to: ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/2026
Publication Date: 1/27/2026
Citation: Wegener, E.C., Skory, C.D. 2026. Sustainable synthesis of massoia lactone from liamocin polyol lipids produced by Aureobasidium pullulans. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.5c09022.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.5c09022

Interpretive Summary: Massoia lactone is an essential oil commonly used in fragrances and flavorings for its coconut-like aroma. It is currently produced in Southeast Asia from the bark of Massoia trees and has a market size of $370 million. ARS researchers in Peoria, Illinois, developed a new method to produce massoia lactone from domestic agricultural crops like corn, sugarcane, and/or sugar beets. This technology uses chemicals that are safe to handle, does not produce hazardous waste, and is easily scalable to industrial quantities. This research will benefit farmers and producers by establishing new market opportunities for their agricultural commodities and by providing a safe and economically sustainable supply of this material.

Technical Abstract: Massoia lactone (ML) is a valuable chemical with a variety of uses that can be sourced from extracellular polyol lipids called liamocins produced by Aureobasidium pullulans. In this study, sustainability and safety considerations were used to guide the development of a new method for converting liamocins to ML that would be easily scalable and could be performed in a continuous flow reactor. Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and water are used as cosolvents, and biobased carboxylic acids (e.g. citric acid) are used as Brønsted acids to catalyze sequential hydrolysis and dehydration reactions. The acids exhibited salting-in effects on MEK-water mixtures allowing for reactions to be performed in a single liquid phase. In batch reactors at 70°C and atmospheric pressure, long reaction times (approximately 200 hr) are required for the dehydration reaction to reach equilibrium and achieve yields approaching the apparent theoretical limit (approximately 0.668 g/gliamocins). In a plug flow reactor at 150°C and 500 psi, the apparent maximum yields (0.675 g/gliamocins) are seen at a residence time of 2 hr. Overall, this work highlights the use of sustainability and safety criteria in developing new technologies to produce valuable chemicals from renewable agricultural resources.