Polymer-polymer organic solvent two-phase system: A new type of reaction medium for bioorganic synthesis

Mixing solutions of polymers dissolved in chloroform resulted in turbid solutions that parted into two separate phases upon standing. Each phase consisted primarily of one of the two polymers and contained only small amounts of the other. An enzyme (alpha-chymotrypsin) added to the two-phase system partitioned preferentially to one of the phases; this was observed with native enzyme and with enzyme associated with one of the polymers through non-convalent interactions. Under the conditions studied, alpha-chymotrypsin was active and expressed even higher activity and stability than native enzyme added to the organic solvent without polymer. An emulsion was easily formed on mixing with small droplets of one of the phases suspended in the other phase. By operating with the enzyme in the emulsion, a very attractive system for carrying out enzyme-catalyzed conversions was created. Short diffusion distances and minimized steric hindrance are two characteristics of such systems. At the conclusion of the reaction, stirring/mixing was ceased and, after phase separation, it was possible to recover the enzyme as well as the product, under ideal conditins, from different phases. The enzyme was then reused. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.