Polymerization of Vinyl Monomers Using Oxidase Catalysts

Polymerization of vinyl monomers using oxidase as catalyst has been performed under argon in the presence of acetylacetone as a mediator and without the use of hydrogen peroxide. The polymerization of acrylamide was catalyzed by a laccase or sarcosine oxidase catalyst in distilled water and efficiently produced the polymer with high molecular weight. In the polymerization using the laccase catalyst, the effects of temperature, time, and amounts of enzyme and mediator have been systematically investigated. On the other hand, various other oxidases such as bilirubin, choline, and xanthine oxidases showed no or little activity for the vinyl polymerization. The laccase/acetylacetone catalyst induced the polymerization of methyl methacrylate and styrene in a mixture of water and tetrahydrofuran. Laccase alone also acted as a catalyst for the vinyl polymerization of acrylamide and methyl methacrylate without acetylacetone. In the polymerization of methyl methacrylate using lipoxidase as the catalyst in the presence of acetylacetone, the reaction occurred in air.