Title

Green Polymer Chemistry: Enzymatic Functionalization of Liquid Polymers in Bulk

Document Type

Contribution to Book

Publication Date

8-11-2010

Abstract

The use of enzymes as catalysts for organic synthesis has become an increasingly attractive alternative to conventional chemical catalysis. Enzymes offer several advantages including high selectivity, the ability to operate under mild conditions, catalyst recyclability and biocompatilibity. Although there are many examples involving enzymes for the synthesis of polymers, only a few are in the area of polymer functionalization and most of the examples are characterized by low conversion. In this paper, we present examples of quantitative enzyme-catalyzed methacrylation of liquid polymers. Specifically, vinyl methacrylate was transesterified with liquid α,ω-dihydroxy polyisobutylenes, α,ω-dihydroxy polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), PDMS-mono and –dicarbinol, and low molecular weight poly(ethylene glycol) in the presence of Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB; Novozym® 435) under solventless conditions. 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy verified the structure of the functionalized polymers.

Publication Title

Green Polymer Chemistry: Biocatalysis and Biomaterials

Volume

1043

First Page

417

Last Page

424

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