Conversion of Nitriles to Amides: Novel Biomaterials for Petroleum Feedstock Refining Richard C. Holz, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60626 Nitrile Hydratase Biocatalysts: Immobilization of enzymes and proteins within silica glasses derived through sol-gel processing has resulted in the generation of novel, functional biomaterials which are optically transparent and sufficiently porous to permit small substrates access to the entrapped enzyme. H2O
600
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Acrylamide (mM)
aCys111 aCys113
400
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aCys108
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Actve site of the nitrile hydratase from Pseudonocardia thermophila JCM 3095 (PtNHase).
Scanning electron micrograph of a TMOS PtNHase:sol-gel.
Production of acrylamide using recycled PtNHase:solgels at pH 7.5 and 35 C.
We have prepared new, functional biomaterials by immobilizing NHase enzymes within silica glasses derived through sol-gel processing.
