Lipase on carbon nanotube - An active, selective, stable and easy to optimize nanobiocatalyst for kinetic resolutions

An efficient nanobioconjugate of lipase B from Candida antarctica was prepared by the covalent binding on carboxy-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes and tested in batch and flow mode for the enzymatic kinetic resolution of several racemic secondary arylethan-1-ols. The influence of various process parameters as temperature, flow rate and substrate concentration upon the biocatalyst efficiency and selectivity in the kinetic resolution of rac-phenylethan-1-ol was investigated and the conditions for the highest productivity was determined. The long term activity and selectivity of the biocatalyst were conserved, enabling hundred- gram scale resolution of rac- phenylethan-1-ol with only ~70 mg biocatalyst.