SYNTHESIS OF MONOTERPENOID ESTER COMPOUNDS

The invention relates to a method for producing a monoterpenoid compound, a microbial organism and an expression system. The method comprising a step of culturing at least one microbial organism co-expressing genes encoding a metabolic pathway for the production of isopentenyl pyrophosphate and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate and: (i) geranyl pyrophosphate synthase; (ii) a monoterpenoid synthase; (iii) an heterologous alcohol acyltransferase; and optionally (iv) a hydroxylase or a reductase; under conditions in which component (i), component (ii) and optional component (iv) expressed in the microorganism converts a carbon source to produce a monoterpenoid comprising an alcohol, which is then converted by component (iii) expressed in the microorganism to a monoterpenoid ester, wherein these conditions comprise a two-phase aqueous-organic system.