Lipase-catalyzed synthesis of isoamyl acetate in hexane at 10-250 MPa at 80A degrees C and 1-100 MPa at 40A degrees C resulted in activation volumes of -12.9 +/- A 1.7 and -21.6 +/- A 2.9 cm(3) mol(-1), respectively. Increasing pressure from 10 to 200 MPa resulted in approximately 10-fold increase in V (max) at both 40 and 80A degrees C. Pressure increased the K (m) from 2.4 +/- A 0.004 to 38 +/- A 0.78 mM at 40A degrees C. In contrast, at 80A degrees C the pressure did not affect the K (m).