Enzyme-catalyzed polycondensations
OwnerRichard A. Gross, Ajay Kumar +1inventors
InventorsRichard A. Gross, Ajay Kumar, Bhanu Kalra
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Abstract
A method for enzymatic condensation polymerization by combining a preselected quantity of an enzyme, a diol and/or a polyol, and a diacid in a reaction vessel; heating the reaction vessel containing the enzyme, the diol or polyol, and the diacid to a preselected temperature; and maintaining the reaction vessel containing the enzyme, the diol and/or polyol, and the diacid at the preselected temperature for a preselected time, thereby producing a condensation polymer.
Claims72
A method for enzymatic condensation polymerization comprising the steps of:
- a. combining a preselected quantity of an enzyme, at least one compound selected from the group consisting of diols and polyols, and a diacid in a reaction vessel;
- b. heating the reaction vessel containing the enzyme, the diol and/or polyol, and the diacid to a preselected temperature;
- and
- c. maintaining the reaction vessel containing the enzyme, the diol and/or polyol, and the diacid at the preselected temperature for a preselected time,
- thereby producing a condensation polymer.
A method for enzymatic condensation polymerization comprising the steps of:
- a. adding a diol to a reaction vessel;
- b. adding a diacid to the reaction vessel containing the diol;
- c. adding an enzyme to the reaction vessel containing the diol and the diacid;
- d. maintaining the reaction vessel containing the diol, the diacid and the enzyme at a preselected temperature for a preselected time,
- thereby producing a condensation polymer.
The method as claimed in 33, further comprising the step of subjecting the contents of the reaction vessel to sparging with dry air to remove any water from the reaction vessel for certain time periods during the reaction.
The method as claimed in 35, further comprising the step of subjecting the contents of the reaction vessel to air having humidity levels that maintain a water content in reactions that is optimal for enzyme activity.
A method to prepare polyester-containing polymers using enzymatic polycondensation comprising the steps of:
- a. selecting at least two monomers from the group comprising diols, diacids, polyols, hydroxylacids, carbonates, cyclic carbonates, lactones, anhydrides, and combinations thereof;
- and
- b. combining the selected the monomers and an enzyme in a reaction vessel and allowing a polycondensation reaction to proceed for a defined time period resulting in a desired polyester containing-polymer,
- wherein the enzymatic reaction occurs in the absence of solvent and proceeds as a direct reaction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.