Simple separation operation improved enzyme-catalyzed ε-caprolactone yield

Abstract

With the widely application of polycaprolactone-based biodegradable materials, the green production of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) as a major synthetic monomer, had received widespread attention. In this paper, it was first proposed to use a simple separate operation for enzyme-catalyzed synthesis of ε-CL, which enabled the yield of ε-CL to be improved without complex modification of the enzyme, the factors led to enzymes inactivation during the reaction and the structure of the white undissolved filtered particles were analyzed in detail. As a result, compared with the conventional mixed reaction, this reaction method not only improved the effect of enzyme catalysis, and increased the yield of ε-CL to 90%, but also made immobilized enzymes maintain the integrity of the particles during the reaction, and carriers were reused so as to reduce the production cost. At the same time, it was first demonstrated that the main cause of enzyme inactivation was the change in secondary structure content during the reaction, and the white undissolved filtered particles after the reaction was called hydroxyurea.