Synergism of microwave irradiation and enzyme catalysis in kinetic resolution of (R,S)-1-phenylethanol by cutinase from novel isolate Fusarium ICT SAC1

- Cutinase was produced by solid state fermentation using novel Fusarium sp. ICT SAC1.
- Partially purified cutinase used for kinetic resolution of (R,S)1-phenylethanol.
- Process intensification using microwave irradiation.
- Ternary complex mechanism with (R,S)1-phenylethanol inhibition.

Enantiopure 1-phenylethanol is commercially used in food, pharmaceuticals, fine and agrochemical industries. Kinetic resolution of (R,S)-1-phenylethanol by cutinase from newly isolated fungal strain Fusarium sp. ICT SAC1 was studied using vinyl acetate in non-aqueous media under both microwave irradiation and conventional heating. Effects of various parameters were studied systematically to propose a kinetic model and mechanism of the enzymatic reaction. The initial rate of reaction as well as product conversion increased synergistically with microwave irradiation (44.21% conversion of R enantiomer and 79.23% ees after 18 h) as compared to conventional heating (38.13% conversion with 61.85% ees at 40 °C in 24 h). Effect of various parameters such as solvent, speed of agitation, catalyst loading, substrate concentration, and temperature were studied. Lineweaver-Burk plots were generated to confirm that the ternary complex (ordered bi-bi) mechanism with inhibition by (R,S)-1-phenylethanol controlled the reaction. The experimental and simulated rates matched very well showing the validity of the proposed kinetic model. The results obtained in this study were good and comparable with earlier published data for cutinase from Fusarium sp.

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