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A new application of molecularly imprinted materials
Author(s) -
Ye Lei,
Ramström Olof,
Månsson MatsOlle,
Mosbach Klaus
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of molecular recognition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.401
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1099-1352
pISSN - 0952-3499
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1352(199812)11:1/6<75::aid-jmr393>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - aspartame , adsorption , chemistry , yield (engineering) , organic chemistry , phenylalanine , molecular imprinting , aspartic acid , by product , combinatorial chemistry , materials science , selectivity , amino acid , biochemistry , catalysis , metallurgy
We have studied the possibility of shifting a thermodynamically unfavourable enzymatic equilibrium towards product formation via the addition of a highly specific adsorbent. The commercially interesting enzymatic condensation of Z ‐ L ‐aspartic acid with L ‐phenylalanine methyl ester to the sweetener aspartame was chosen as the model system. Extremely stable and specific adsorbents for the product Z ‐ L ‐Asp‐ L ‐Phe‐OMe ( Z ‐aspartame) were prepared using the emerging technique of molecular imprinting. A considerable increase (40%) in the yield of product was obtained when such adsorbents were present during the enzymatic reaction. The message of this investigation is that the use of such specific, sterilizable adsorbents should be considered for enzymatic processes to increase the yield. Finally, the direct isolation of a product formed by the retrieval of the adsorbents carrying the product can be envisaged, especially if the adsorbents are magnetic. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.