Electrochemical esterification in distilled liquor via gold catalysis and its application for enhancing ester aroma of low-alcohol liquor.

The development of low-alcohol liquor (Baijiu) can represent a tool to solve the problems of excessive alcohol intake. However, low-alcohol liquor has an insufficient ester aroma and a bland taste due to the alcohol dilution process. This study proposes an electrochemical catalysis technology to catalyze the esterification reaction between the acid and alcohol in liquor, thereby enhancing the ester aroma of low-alcohol liquor. In the electrochemical conversion process, the gold electrode with a certain potential promotes the formation of carbocation intermediate from corresponding carboxylic acid, thereby improving the esterification reaction efficiency. The key finding is that the total ester content of liquor treated using this technology is increased by more than 20%, and a strong ester aroma is attained. This study clarifies the electrocatalytic mechanism of the esterification reaction in liquor, and provides a new idea for making low-alcohol liquor become more attractive for aroma and taste aspects trying to obtain an alternative product contributing to the public health.