Citronellyl valerate was synthesized by a lipase from a Rhizopus sp strain isolated and the lipase produced, at UNICAMP, Brazil. Direct esterification was performed in a solvent-free medium to produce the flavor ester. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the process with respect to the substrate molar ratio and lipase concentration. The results show that the synthesis of citronellyl valerate can be carried out in a solvent-free medium, the maximum ester conversion rate achieved being 91.5% after 48 hours of reaction time.