ABSTRACT

Enzymes have unique capabilities to catalyze chemical reactions with high chemo-, regio-, and stereo-selectivity, high turnover rate and mild solution conditions. One major huddle resides in the low stability of enzymes in an organic solvent, particularly in a polar solvent such as DMSO, DMF or THF. The roles of organic solvents in chemical synthesis include solubilizing substrates, inhibiting reverse reactions, and eliminating adverse effects of water. This chapter reviews design and synthesis of nanostructured enzyme catalysts that exhibit high stability and activity in organic solvents at high temperature. Compared to the lipase polyacrylamide nanogel, the lipase nanogel facilitates the uptake of hydrophobic substrates and thus gives an enhanced activity in non-polar solvents. Encapsulation of enzymes in nanogels may lead to an activation effect. The nano-conjugates consist of enzymes and Pluronic, a copolymer with a hydrophobic backbone flanked by two hydrophilic side chains. Bovine serum albumin can be used as cross-linker for the formation of enzyme–Pluronic conjugates.