Enzymatic polymerization of phenol catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase in aqueous micelle system

Enzymatic polymerization of phenol catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) has been carried out in aqueous micelle system using sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) as a surfactant. The addition of SDBS to buffer greatly enhances the polymer yield. With a usage of SDBS over 0.4 g for 5 mmol of phenol monomer, the polymer could be obtained almost quantitatively. The number-molecular weight of the THF-soluble part determined by GPC is increased from 1100 to 2000 with increasing the dosage of SDBS. The phenol polymerization maintains high yields in aqueous micelle system over a wide pH range from 4 to 10. The activity of enzyme in buffer is so high that the phenol polymerization in aqueous micelle system could be completed only in 2 h with high yield. The resulting polymer is a kind of powdery material, which is partly soluble in DMF, DMSO and THF. IR analysis showed that the polymer structure contained a mixture of phenylene and oxyphenylene units. From TG analysis, the polymer was found to possess high thermal stability.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Enzymatic phenol polymerization could be carried out efficiently in aqueous micelle system. ► Phenol polymerization maintains high yield in aqueous micelle system over a wide pH range. ► The catalytic activity of HRP in aqueous micelle system is extremely high. ► Aqueous micelle is an environmentally benign system for the production of phenol polymer.