The esterification of palm-based 9,10-dihydroxystearic acid (DHSA) and 1-octanol in hexane as catalyzed by lipase from Rhizomucor meihei ( Lipozyme IM) followed Michaelis - Menten kinetics. The esterification reaction follows a Ping-Pong, Bi-Bi mechanism. The maximum rate was estimated to be 1 mumol min(-1) mg(-1) catalyst in hexane at 50degreesC, and the Michaelis - Menten constants for DHSA and 1-octanol were 1.3 M and 0.7 M, respectively.