Enzymatic Oxidative Polymerization of Phenol in an Aqueous Solution in the Presence of a Catalytic Amount of Cyclodextrin

The peroxidase-catalyzed polymerization of phenol in aqueous solution has been examined in the presence of 2,6-di-O-methyl-α-cyclodextrin (DM-α-CD). By the addition of DM-α-CD, the phenol was polymerized in a buffer to produce the soluble polyphenol. Only a catalytic amount of DM-α-CD induced the polymerization effectively. A small amount of DM-α-CD was contained in the polymer.