Arbutin cinnamate was synthesized from arbutin (4-hydroxy-phenyl β-D-glucopyranoside) and vinyl cinnamate by regioselective transesterification with a bacterial lipase in acetonitrile. The product was identified by NMR and FAB-MS analyses. These spectra showed that one ester bond was formed between the primary alcohol moiety of the D-glucose of arbutin and the carboxyl residue of cinnamic acid. Furthermore, plant pigments such as isoquercitrin (quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside) and callistephin (pelargonidin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside) were also converted to their corresponding cinnamate esters in the same manner.