Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to model and optimize the immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B catalysed synthesis of butyl-4-methyl-3-oxopentanoate. To determine optimum conditions of the transesterification, a four-factor and five-level central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was used. The factors studied were enzyme load (A), reaction temperature (B), methyl-4-methyl-3-oxopentanoate concentration (C) and n-butanol concentration (D). A quadratic polynomial regression model was used to analyze the experimental data at a 95% confidence level (p < 0.05). The results indicated that the RSM approach gave reasonable results for the optimization of the reaction parameters in the range of tested parameters. The optimal conditions for the enzymatic reaction were obtained at 0.01 mol of methyl-4-methyl-3-oxopentanoate and 0.03 mol of n-butanol using 104 mg of Novozym 435 at 55 degrees C and 300 rpm for 6 h. Under these conditions, the transesterification percentage was 87 %. Further, kinetic modelling of the enzymatic synthesis was illustrated. Initial rate data and progress curve data were used to arrive at a suitable model. The kinetics was found to obey the ternary complex ordered bi-bi model with inhibition by the substrate methyl-4-methyl-3-oxopentanoate. The values of kinetic parameters obtained from nonlinear regression analysis were found to be Vmax of 0.04 mol/L.min; Km(A) 0.11 mol/L; Km(B) 2 mol/L and Ki(A) 2.2 mol/L.