Novel photoluminescent material by laccase-mediated polymerization of 4-fluoroguaiacol throughout defluorination

Abstract

Abstract The enzymatic oxidative polymerization of 4-fluoroguaiacol (4-fluoro-2-methoxyphenol) was successfully achieved using laccase from Trametes versicolor in acetone or methanol and buffer (pH 5) mixture media with 1.5 mg mL −1 of dissolved oxygen throughout the reaction. The novel material displayed fluorescence with emissions in blue, green and red upon applied UV-light frequencies as determined by laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PS) on sample films. The products were fully characterized by NMR, FT-IR and MALDI-TOF analyses to demonstrate that the oxidative polymerization underwent by defluorination in a phenyl-oxy propagation. Powder X-ray diffraction spectra showed ca. 50% crystallinity and thermal analyses demonstrated high thermal resistance of the polymer, well above its melting point, which allowed for production of films by melting.