Immobilization of Thermoanaerobium brockii alcohol dehydrogenase on SBA-15

The activity of Thermoanaerobium brockii alcohol dehydrogenase (TBADH) adsorbed on mesoporous silica SBA-15 was compared with that of the free enzyme in water and in biphasic system (water phase up to 50% v/v water). TBADH was active at a water concentration a parts per thousand yen10% v/v. In the reduction reaction of sulcatone to sulcatol carried out in biphasic systems, the yield obtained with SBA-15-adsorbed TBADH was up to 5.5-fold higher than that with the free enzyme, which suggests a higher stability of the immobilized enzyme toward the organic solvent. The nature of the organic solvent substantially influenced the degree of conversion that, for example, was 7.4% in toluene and 31.6% in petroleum ether.