Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2012, 13(10), 12232-12241; doi:10.3390/ijms131012232
Article

Biocatalytic Synthesis of Poly(δ-Valerolactone) Using a Thermophilic Esterase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus as Catalyst

Hong Cao 1,2,† email, Haobo Han 1,† email, Guangquan Li 2 email, Jiebing Yang 1 email, Lingfei Zhang 1 email, Yan Yang 1,* email, Xuedong Fang 2,* email and Quanshun Li 1,* email
1 Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China 2 Department of General Surgery, Second Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China † These authors contributed equally to this work.
* Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 26 July 2012; in revised form: 24 August 2012 / Accepted: 7 September 2012 / Published: 25 September 2012
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enzyme Optimization and Immobilization)
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Abstract: The ring-opening polymerization of δ-valerolactone catalyzed by a thermophilic esterase from the archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus was successfully conducted in organic solvents. The effects of enzyme concentration, temperature, reaction time and reaction medium on monomer conversion and product molecular weight were systematically evaluated. Through the optimization of reaction conditions, poly(δ-valerolactone) was produced in 97% monomer conversion, with a number-average molecular weight of 2225 g/mol, in toluene at 70 °C for 72 h. This paper has produced a new biocatalyst for the synthesis of poly(δ-valerolactone), and also deeper insight has been gained into the mechanism of thermophilic esterase-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization.
Keywords: thermophilic esterase; ring-opening polymerization; δ-valerolactone

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MDPI and ACS Style

Cao, H.; Han, H.; Li, G.; Yang, J.; Zhang, L.; Yang, Y.; Fang, X.; Li, Q. Biocatalytic Synthesis of Poly(δ-Valerolactone) Using a Thermophilic Esterase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus as Catalyst. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2012, 13, 12232-12241.

AMA Style

Cao H, Han H, Li G, Yang J, Zhang L, Yang Y, Fang X, Li Q. Biocatalytic Synthesis of Poly(δ-Valerolactone) Using a Thermophilic Esterase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus as Catalyst. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2012; 13(10):12232-12241.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cao, Hong; Han, Haobo; Li, Guangquan; Yang, Jiebing; Zhang, Lingfei; Yang, Yan; Fang, Xuedong; Li, Quanshun. 2012. "Biocatalytic Synthesis of Poly(δ-Valerolactone) Using a Thermophilic Esterase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus as Catalyst." Int. J. Mol. Sci. 13, no. 10: 12232-12241.

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