7-O-Lauroyl kojic acid was synthesized on some tens of grams scale through lipase-catalyzed condensation of kojic and lauric acids in acetonitrile using a semi-continuous system where unreacted substrates were reused after the product recovery. The acylation of kojic acid improved the solubility in hexane and soybean oil. The absorption spectra of lauroyl kojic acid chelated with ferric ion were observed in ethanol and soybean oil at various molar ratios. The color tone of the complex of lauroyl kojic acid and Fe3+ was similar to that of the complex of unmodified kojic acid and Fe3+ in ethanol. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.