Free-radical polymerization of acrylamide by manganese peroxidase produced by the white-rot basidiomycete Bjerkandera adusta

Acrylamide was polymerized to give polyacrylamide using manganese peroxidase (MnP) produced by the basidiomycete Bjerkandera adusta. The molecular weight of the polymer synthesized by MnP was 155000, higher than those obtained with other reaction systems using horseradish peroxidase and a redox initiator. The ¹³C-NMR spectrum showed that polyacrylamide was atactic. Electron spin resonance analysis revealed that 2,4-pentanedione added as an initiator was first oxidized to generate a carbon-centered radical, which initiated radical additive polymerization of acrylamide.