Enzymatic ring-opening polyaddition for chitin synthesis: A cationic mechanism in basic solution?

摘要

The in vitro synthesis of chitin via a nonbiosynthetic path has been achieved for the first time by enzymatic ring-opening polyaddition of a chitobiose oxazoline monomer (C2O). Chitinase, a hydrolysis enzyme of chitin, recognized and polymerized the monomer regio- and stereoselectively. The structure of artificial chitin was confirmed by comparison with an authentic natural chitin sample with the use of CP/MAS C-13 NMR and IR spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction as well as NMR analysis showed its crystal structure of alpha-chitin. Characteristic features of the present polymerization are described. [References: 25]