Porous chitosan-supported metal tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin as a practical model for the hydrophobic pocket/cavity of cytochrome P-450 enzyme

• The specific surface area of Me TCPP/p-CTS was 12–14 times than that of Me TCPP/nonp-CTS.
• The activity of Me TCPP/p-CTS was 12–24% greater than that of Me TCPP/nonp-CTS.
• Porous chitosan plays a key role in the increased activity for cyclohexane oxidation.

The objective of this study was to investigate porous chitosan-supported metal tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin [Me TCPP/p-CTS] as a practical model for the structure and function of the hydrophobic pocket cavity in cytochrome P-450 enzyme. Porous and non-porous chitosan-supported Me TCPPs [Me TCPP/p- and nonp-CTS] were prepared by a similar procedure, characterized using various techniques, and then used as catalysts for the aerobic oxidation of cyclohexane. The Me TCPP/p-CTS, which contained many cavities, showed higher catalytic activity than the Me TCPP/nonp-CTS. The catalytic activities of Mn TCPP/p-CTS and Fe TCPP/p-CTS were 12.4% and 24.4% greater than those of Mn TCPP/nonp-CTS and Fe TCPP/nonp-CTS, respectively. These differences in catalytic activity were mainly influenced by the characteristics and numbers of cavities (or pores) contained in the supported catalysts.

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