Application of a Burkholderia cepacia lipase-immobilized silica monolith micro-bioreactor to continuous-flow kinetic resolution for transesterification of ( R, S)-1-phenylethanol

• Published in: Process biochemistry (1991) Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 147 - 150
• Main Authors: Kawakami, Koei, Ueno, Masaki, Takei, Takayuki, Oda, Yasuhiro, Takahashi, Ryo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 2012
• Subjects: 1-Phenylethanol; acetates; Burkholderia; Burkholderia cepacia; Burkholderia cepacia lipase; enantiomers; enzyme activity; Kinetic resolution; Micro-bioreactor; Precursors; prediction; Reactors; silica; Silica monolith; Silicates; Silicon dioxide; Sol–gel immobilization; Steady state; Transesterification; Vinyl acetate; water activity; Burkholderia cepacia lipase; Silica monolith; 1-Phenylethanol; Kinetic resolution; Sol–gel immobilization; Micro-bioreactor
• ISSN: 1359-5113; 1873-3298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2011.09.017

► Lipase-immobilized silica monolith is prepared using two-step sol–gel method. ► Lipase immobilized in butyl-silicate displays high activity and enantioselectivity. ► Silica monolith micro-bioreactor gives similar performance to batch reactor. ► Continuous-flow kinetic resolution is achieved stably with 98% enantiomeric excess. Burkholderia cepacia lipase was immobilized in silicates forming from n-butyl-substituted precursors within a silica monolith from methyl-substituted precursors. The resultant preparation gave about 12 times higher rates of transesterification of ( R, S)-1-phenylethanol with vinyl acetate and an approximately two-fold increase in the enantioselectivity toward ( R)-1-phenylethanol, as compared to a non-immobilized counterpart. The highest enzymatic activity and enantioselectivity (reaching 250) were found at a low water activity of 0.11. The continuous-flow kinetic resolution of ( R, S)-1-phenylethanol was successfully conducted using lipase-immobilized silica monolith micro-bioreactors with various inside diameters ranging from 0.25 to 1.6 mm. The reactor performance during continuous operation was consistent with the prediction from the batch reactor. A steady state conversion of 40% and enantiomeric excess more than 98% were maintained over a time period of 15 days.