Monooctanoyl phloroglucinol with anti-microbial activities was synthesized from phloroglucinol (50 mM) and vinyl octanoate (150 mM) with agitation at 40 degreesC using 10 mg lipase AK (Pseudomonas fluorescens) in acetonitrile (1 ml, aw=0.07). The yield was approximately 70% as conversion rate of phloroglucinol over 3 days. The product, at 205 mug ml(-1), was bacteriocidal against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis.