scholarly journals Roles of two glutathione S-transferases in the final step of the β-aryl ether cleavage pathway in Sphingobium sp. strain SYK-6

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yudai Higuchi ◽  
Daisuke Sato ◽  
Naofumi Kamimura ◽  
Eiji Masai
Keyword(s):  
Aromatic Compounds ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Degradation Process ◽  
Lignin Biodegradation ◽  
Aryl Ether ◽  
Ether Linkage ◽  
Ether Cleavage ◽  
Subsequent Degradation ◽  
Glutathione S Transferases

ABSTRACTSphingobium sp. strain SYK-6 is an alphaproteobacterial degrader of lignin-derived aromatic compounds, which can degrade all the stereoisomers of β-aryl ether-type compounds. SYK-6 cells convert four stereoisomers of guaiacylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (GGE) into two enantiomers of α-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-β-hydroxypropiovanillone (MPHPV) through GGE α-carbon atom oxidation by stereoselective Cα-dehydrogenases encoded by ligD, ligL, and ligN. The ether linkages of the resulting MPHPV enantiomers are cleaved by stereoselective glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) encoded by ligF, ligE, and ligP, generating (βRβS)-α-glutathionyl-β-hydroxypropiovanillone (GS-HPV) and guaiacol. To date, it has been shown that the gene products of ligG and SLG_04120 (ligQ), both encoding GST, catalyze glutathione removal from (βRβS)-GS-HPV, forming achiral β-hydroxypropiovanillone. In this study, we characterized the enzyme properties of LigG and LigQ and elucidated their roles in β-aryl ether catabolism. Purified LigG showed an approximately 300-fold higher specific activity for (βR)-GS-HPV than that for (βS)-GS-HPV, whereas purified LigQ showed an approximately six-fold higher specific activity for (βS)-GS-HPV than that for (βR)-GS-HPV. Analyses of mutants of ligG, ligQ, and both genes revealed that SYK-6 converted (βR)-GS-HPV using both LigG and LigQ, whereas only LigQ was involved in converting (βS)-GS-HPV. Furthermore, the disruption of both ligG and ligQ was observed to lead to the loss of the capability of SYK-6 to convert MPHPV. This suggests that GSH removal from GS-HPV catalyzed by LigG and LigQ, is essential for cellular GSH recycling during β-aryl ether catabolism.IMPORTANCEThe β-aryl ether linkage is most abundant in lignin, comprising 45%–62% of all intermonomer linkages in lignin; thus, cleavage of the β-aryl ether linkage together with the subsequent degradation process is considered the essential step in lignin biodegradation. The enzyme genes for β-aryl ether cleavage are useful for decomposing high-molecular-weight lignin, converting lignin-derived aromatic compounds into value-added products, and modifying lignin structures in plants to reduce lignin recalcitrance. In this study, we uncovered the roles of the two glutathione S-transferase genes, ligG and ligQ, in the conversion of GS-HPV isomers, which are generated in the β-aryl ether cleavage pathway in SYK-6. Adding our current results to previous findings allowed us to have a whole picture of the β-aryl ether cleavage system in SYK-6.

scholarly journals Roles of two glutathione S-transferases in the final step of the β-aryl ether cleavage pathway in Sphingobium sp. strain SYK-6

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yudai Higuchi ◽  
Daisuke Sato ◽  
Naofumi Kamimura ◽  
Eiji Masai
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Atom ◽  
Aromatic Compounds ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Gene Products ◽  
Enzyme Properties ◽  
Aryl Ether ◽  
Ether Cleavage ◽  
Glutathione S Transferases

AbstractSphingobium sp. strain SYK-6 is an alphaproteobacterial degrader of lignin-derived aromatic compounds, which can degrade all the stereoisomers of β-aryl ether-type compounds. SYK-6 cells convert four stereoisomers of guaiacylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (GGE) into two enantiomers of α-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-β-hydroxypropiovanillone (MPHPV) through GGE α-carbon atom oxidation by stereoselective Cα-dehydrogenases encoded by ligD, ligL, and ligN. The ether linkages of the resulting MPHPV enantiomers are cleaved by stereoselective glutathione (GSH) S-transferases (GSTs) encoded by ligF, ligE, and ligP, generating (βR/βS)-α-glutathionyl-β-hydroxypropiovanillone (GS-HPV) and guaiacol. To date, it has been shown that the gene products of ligG and SLG_04120 (ligQ), both encoding GST, catalyze GSH removal from (βR/βS)-GS-HPV, forming achiral β-hydroxypropiovanillone. In this study, we verified the enzyme properties of LigG and LigQ and elucidated their roles in β-aryl ether catabolism. Purified LigG showed an approximately 300-fold higher specific activity for (βR)-GS-HPV than that for (βS)-GS-HPV, whereas purified LigQ showed an approximately six-fold higher specific activity for (βS)-GS-HPV than that for (βR)-GS-HPV. Analyses of mutants of ligG, ligQ, and both genes revealed that SYK-6 converted (βR)-GS-HPV using both LigG and LigQ, whereas only LigQ was involved in converting (βS)-GS-HPV. Furthermore, the disruption of both ligG and ligQ was observed to lead to the loss of the capability of SYK-6 to convert MPHPV. This suggests that GSH removal from GS-HPV catalyzed by LigG and LigQ, is essential for cellular GSH recycling during β-aryl ether catabolism.

scholarly journals Bacterial Catabolism of β-Hydroxypropiovanillone and β-Hydroxypropiosyringone Produced in the Reductive Cleavage of Arylglycerol-β-Aryl Ether in Lignin

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yudai Higuchi ◽  
Shogo Aoki ◽  
Hiroki Takenami ◽  
Naofumi Kamimura ◽  
Kenji Takahashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Value Added ◽  
Lignin Biodegradation ◽  
Gene Products ◽  
Aryl Ether ◽  
Ether Linkage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Catabolic Genes ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Stereospecific Reaction

ABSTRACTSphingobiumsp. strain SYK-6 converts four stereoisomers of arylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether into achiral β-hydroxypropiovanillone (HPV) via three stereospecific reaction steps. Here, we determined the HPV catabolic pathway and characterized the HPV catabolic genes involved in the first two steps of the pathway. In SYK-6 cells, HPV was oxidized to vanilloyl acetic acid (VAA) via vanilloyl acetaldehyde (VAL). The resulting VAA was further converted into vanillate through the activation of VAA by coenzyme A. A syringyl-type HPV analog, β-hydroxypropiosyringone (HPS), was also catabolized via the same pathway. SLG_12830 (hpvZ), which belongs to the glucose-methanol-choline oxidoreductase family, was isolated as the HPV-converting enzyme gene. AnhpvZmutant completely lost the ability to convert HPV and HPS, indicating thathpvZis essential for the conversion of both the substrates. HpvZ produced inEscherichia colioxidized both HPV and HPS and other 3-phenyl-1-propanol derivatives. HpvZ localized to both the cytoplasm and membrane of SYK-6 and used ubiquinone derivatives as electron acceptors. Thirteen gene products of the 23 aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) genes in SYK-6 were able to oxidize VAL into VAA. Mutant analyses suggested that multiple ALDH genes, including SLG_20400, contribute to the conversion of VAL. We examined whether the genes encoding feruloyl-CoA synthetase (ferA) and feruloyl-CoA hydratase/lyase (ferBandferB2) are involved in the conversion of VAA. Only FerA exhibited activity toward VAA; however, disruption offerAdid not affect VAA conversion. These results indicate that another enzyme system is involved in VAA conversion.IMPORTANCECleavage of the β-aryl ether linkage is the most essential process in lignin biodegradation. Although the bacterial β-aryl ether cleavage pathway and catabolic genes have been well documented, there have been no reports regarding the catabolism of HPV or HPS, the products of cleavage of β-aryl ether compounds. HPV and HPS have also been found to be obtained from lignin by chemoselective catalytic oxidation by 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone/tert-butyl nitrite/O2, followed by cleavage of the β-aryl ether with zinc. Therefore, value-added chemicals are expected to be produced from these compounds. In this study, we determined the SYK-6 catabolic pathways for HPV and HPS and identified the catabolic genes involved in the first two steps of the pathways. Since SYK-6 catabolizes HPV through 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylate, which is a building block for functional polymers, characterization of HPV catabolism is important not only for understanding the bacterial lignin catabolic system but also for lignin utilization.

scholarly journals Roles of the Enantioselective Glutathione S-Transferases in Cleavage of β-Aryl Ether

2003 ◽  
Vol 185 (6) ◽  
pp. 1768-1775 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eiji Masai ◽  
Atsushi Ichimura ◽  
Yusuke Sato ◽  
Keisuke Miyauchi ◽  
Yoshihiro Katayama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lignin Degradation ◽  
Model Compound ◽  
Nucleophilic Attack ◽  
Low Molecular Weight ◽  
Ionization Mass ◽  
Important Process ◽  
Aryl Ether ◽  
Ether Linkage ◽  
Glutathione S Transferases ◽  
Alternative Activities

ABSTRACT Cleavage of the β-aryl ether linkage is the most important process in lignin degradation. Here we characterize the three tandemly located glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes, ligF, ligE, and ligG, from low-molecular-weight lignin-degrading Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6, and we describe the actual roles of these genes in the β-aryl ether cleavage. Based on the identification of the reaction product by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, a model compound of β-aryl ether, α-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-β-hydroxypropiovanillone (MPHPV), was transformed by LigF or LigE to guaiacol and α-glutathionyl-β-hydroxypropiovanillone (GS-HPV). This result suggested that LigF and LigE catalyze the nucleophilic attack of glutathione on the carbon atom at the β position of MPHPV. High-pressure liquid chromatography-circular dichroism analysis indicated that LigF and LigE each attacked a different enantiomer of the racemic MPHPV preparation. The ligG gene product specifically catalyzed the elimination of glutathione from GS-HPV generated by the action of LigF. This reaction then produces an achiral compound, β-hydroxypropiovanillone, which is further degraded by this strain. Disruption of the ligF, ligE, and ligG genes in SYK-6 showed that ligF is essential to the degradation of one of the MPHPV enantiomers, and the alternative activities which metabolize the substrates of LigE and LigG are present in this strain.

scholarly journals The Syringate O-Demethylase Gene of Sphingobium sp. Strain SYK-6 Is Regulated by DesX, while Other Vanillate and Syringate Catabolism Genes Are Regulated by DesR

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuma Araki ◽  
Kenta Tanatani ◽  
Naofumi Kamimura ◽  
Yuichiro Otsuka ◽  
Muneyoshi Yamaguchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Binding ◽  
Aromatic Compounds ◽  
Regulatory System ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Transcriptional Regulator ◽  
Inducible Promoter ◽  
Repeat Sequence ◽  
Chemical Degradation ◽  
Lignin Biodegradation ◽  
Rt Pcr

ABSTRACT Syringate and vanillate are the major metabolites of lignin biodegradation. In Sphingobium sp. strain SYK-6, syringate is O demethylated to gallate by consecutive reactions catalyzed by DesA and LigM, and vanillate is O demethylated to protocatechuate by a reaction catalyzed by LigM. The gallate ring is cleaved by DesB, and protocatechuate is catabolized via the protocatechuate 4,5-cleavage pathway. The transcriptions of desA, ligM, and desB are induced by syringate and vanillate, while those of ligM and desB are negatively regulated by the MarR-type transcriptional regulator DesR, which is not involved in desA regulation. Here, we clarified the regulatory system for desA transcription by analyzing the IclR-type transcriptional regulator desX, located downstream of desA. Quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR analyses of a desX mutant indicated that the transcription of desA was negatively regulated by DesX. In contrast, DesX was not involved in the regulation of ligM and desB. The ferulate catabolism genes (ferBA), under the control of a MarR-type transcriptional regulator, FerC, are located upstream of desA. RT-PCR analyses suggested that the ferB-ferA-SLG_25010-desA gene cluster consists of the ferBA operon and the SLG_25010-desA operon. Promoter assays revealed that a syringate- and vanillate-inducible promoter is located upstream of SLG_25010. Purified DesX bound to this promoter region, which overlaps an 18-bp inverted-repeat sequence that appears to be essential for the DNA binding of DesX. Syringate and vanillate inhibited the DNA binding of DesX, indicating that the compounds are effector molecules of DesX. IMPORTANCE Syringate is a major degradation product in the microbial and chemical degradation of syringyl lignin. Along with other low-molecular-weight aromatic compounds, syringate is produced by chemical lignin depolymerization. Converting this mixture into value-added chemicals using bacterial metabolism (i.e., biological funneling) is a promising option for lignin valorization. To construct an efficient microbial lignin conversion system, it is necessary to identify and characterize the genes involved in the uptake and catabolism of lignin-derived aromatic compounds and to elucidate their transcriptional regulation. In this study, we found that the transcription of desA, encoding syringate O-demethylase in SYK-6, is regulated by an IclR-type transcriptional regulator, DesX. The findings of this study, combined with our previous results on desR (encoding a MarR transcriptional regulator that controls the transcription of ligM and desB), provide an overall picture of the transcriptional-regulatory systems for syringate and vanillate catabolism in SYK-6.

scholarly journals Synergistic Improvement of Carbohydrate and Lignin Processability by Biomimicking Biomass Processing

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Man Li ◽  
Zhi-Hua Liu ◽  
Naijia Hao ◽  
Michelle L. Olson ◽  
Qiang Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Value Added ◽  
Degradation Process ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Rhodococcus Opacus ◽  
Aryl Ether ◽  
Fractionation Process ◽  
Sugar Release ◽  
Theoretical Yield ◽  
Biomass Processing ◽  
Electron Microscope Analysis

The sustainability and economic feasibility of modern biorefinery depend on the efficient processing of both carbohydrate and lignin fractions for value-added products. By mimicking the biomass degradation process in white-rote fungi, a tailored two-step fractionation process was developed to maximize the sugar release from switchgrass biomass and to optimize the lignin processability for bioconversion. Biomimicking biomass processing using Formic Acid: Fenton: Organosolv (F2O) and achieved high processability for both carbohydrate and lignin. Specifically, switchgrass pretreated by the F2O process had 99.6% of the theoretical yield for glucose release. The fractionated lignin was also readily processable by fermentation via Rhodococcus opacus PD630 with a lipid yield of 1.16 g/L. Scanning electron microscope analysis confirmed the fragmentation of switchgrass fiber and the cell wall deconstruction by the F2O process. 2D-HSQC NMR further revealed the cleavage of aryl ether linkages (β-O-4) in lignin components. These results revealed the mechanisms for efficient sugar release and lignin bioconversion. The F2O process demonstrated effective mimicking of natural biomass utilization system and paved a new path for improving the lignin and carbohydrate processability in next generation lignocellulosic biorefinery.

scholarly journals In VitroEnzymatic Depolymerization of Lignin with Release of Syringyl, Guaiacyl, and Tricin Units

2017 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel L. Gall ◽  
Wayne S. Kontur ◽  
Wu Lan ◽  
Hoon Kim ◽  
Yanding Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aromatic Compounds ◽  
Renewable Resource ◽  
Plant Secondary Metabolite ◽  
Enzymatic System ◽  
Reaction Products ◽  
Aryl Ether ◽  
Terrestrial Plants ◽  
Model Compounds ◽  
Ether Linkage

ABSTRACTNew environmentally sound technologies are needed to derive valuable compounds from renewable resources. Lignin, an abundant polymer in terrestrial plants comprised predominantly of guaiacyl and syringyl monoaromatic phenylpropanoid units, is a potential natural source of aromatic compounds. In addition, the plant secondary metabolite tricin is a recently discovered and moderately abundant flavonoid in grasses. The most prevalent interunit linkage between guaiacyl, syringyl, and tricin units is the β-ether linkage. Previous studies have shown that bacterial β-etherase pathway enzymes catalyze glutathione-dependent cleavage of β-ether bonds in dimeric β-ether lignin model compounds. To date, however, it remains unclear whether the known β-etherase enzymes are active on lignin polymers. Here we report on enzymes that catalyze β-ether cleavage from bona fide lignin, under conditions that recycle the cosubstrates NAD+and glutathione. Guaiacyl, syringyl, and tricin derivatives were identified as reaction products when different model compounds or lignin fractions were used as substrates. These results demonstrate anin vitroenzymatic system that can recycle cosubstrates while releasing aromatic monomers from model compounds as well as natural and engineered lignin oligomers. These findings can improve the ability to produce valuable aromatic compounds from a renewable resource like lignin.IMPORTANCEMany bacteria are predicted to contain enzymes that could convert renewable carbon sources into substitutes for compounds that are derived from petroleum. The β-etherase pathway present in sphingomonad bacteria could cleave the abundant β–O–4-aryl ether bonds in plant lignin, releasing a biobased source of aromatic compounds for the chemical industry. However, the activity of these enzymes on the complex aromatic oligomers found in plant lignin is unknown. Here we demonstrate biodegradation of lignin polymers using a minimal set of β-etherase pathway enzymes, the ability to recycle needed cofactors (glutathione and NAD+)in vitro, and the release of guaiacyl, syringyl, and tricin as depolymerized products from lignin. These observations provide critical evidence for the use and future optimization of these bacterial β-etherase pathway enzymes for industrial-level biotechnological applications designed to derive high-value monomeric aromatic compounds from lignin.

scholarly journals Sphingobium sp. SYK-6 syringate O-demethylase gene is regulated by DesX, unlike other vanillate and syringate catabolic genes regulated by DesR

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuma Araki ◽  
Kenta Tanatani ◽  
Naofumi Kamimura ◽  
Yuichiro Otsuka ◽  
Muneyoshi Yamaguchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Binding ◽  
Aromatic Compounds ◽  
Regulatory System ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Transcriptional Regulator ◽  
Repeat Sequence ◽  
Chemical Degradation ◽  
Lignin Biodegradation ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Catabolic Genes

ABSTRACTSyringate and vanillate are the major metabolites of lignin biodegradation. In Sphingobium sp. strain SYK-6, syringate is O demethylated to gallate by consecutive reactions catalyzed by DesA and LigM, and vanillate is O demethylated to protocatechuate by a reaction catalyzed by LigM. The gallate ring is cleaved by DesB, and protocatechuate is catabolized via the protocatechuate 4,5-cleavage pathway. The transcriptions of desA, ligM, and desB are induced by syringate and vanillate, while that of ligM and desB are negatively regulated by the MarR-type transcriptional regulator DesR, which is not involved in desA regulation. Here we clarified the regulatory system for desA transcription by analyzing the IclR-type transcriptional regulator desX, located downstream of desA. Quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR analyses of a desX mutant indicates that the transcription of desA was negatively regulated by DesX. In contrast, DesX was not involved in the regulation of ligM and desB. The ferulate catabolic genes (ferBA) under the control of a MarR-type transcriptional regulator FerC are located upstream of desA. RT-PCR analyses suggest that the ferB-ferA-SLG_25010-desA gene cluster consists of the ferBA operon and the SLG_25010-desA operon. Promoter assays reveal that a syringate- and vanillate-inducible promoter is located upstream of SLG_25010. Purified DesX bound to this promoter region, which overlaps with an 18-bp-inverted repeat sequence that appears to be essential for the DNA binding of DesX. Syringate and vanillate inhibited the DNA binding of DesX, indicating that these compounds are effector molecules of DesX.IMPORTANCESyringate is a major degradation product in the microbial and chemical degradation of syringyl lignin. Along with other low-molecular-weight aromatic compounds, syringate is produced by chemical lignin depolymerization. Converting this mixture into value-added chemicals using bacterial metabolism (i.e., biological funneling) is a promising option for lignin valorization. To construct an efficient microbial lignin conversion system, it is necessary to identify and characterize the genes involved in the uptake and catabolism of lignin-derived aromatic compounds and elucidate their transcriptional regulation. In this study, we found that the transcription of desA, encoding syringate O-demethylase in SYK-6, is regulated by an IclR-type of transcriptional regulator, DesX. The findings of this study, combined with our previous results on desR (a MarR transcriptional regulator that controls the transcription of ligM and desB), provide an overall picture of the transcriptional regulatory systems for syringate and vanillate catabolism in SYK-6.

Insights into the electrochemical degradation of phenolic lignin model compounds in protic ionic liquid-water system

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangyong Liu ◽  
Qian Wang ◽  
Dongxia Yan ◽  
Yaqin Zhang ◽  
Chenlu Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water System ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Electrochemical Degradation ◽  
Aryl Ether ◽  
Model Compounds ◽  
Protic Ionic Liquid ◽  
Lignin Model Compounds ◽  
Mild Conditions ◽  
System P ◽  
Lignin Model

Cleavage of aryl ether (Caryl-O) bonds is crucial for conversion and value-added utilization of lignin and its derivatives, but remains extremely challenging under mild conditions due to strong Caryl-O linkages....

scholarly journals Enhancing the thermostability and activity of uronate dehydrogenase from Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 by semi-rational engineering

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui-Hui Su ◽  
Fei Peng ◽  
Pei Xu ◽  
Xiao-Ling Wu ◽  
Min-Hua Zong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agrobacterium Tumefaciens ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Glucuronic Acid ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Catalytic Efficiency ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Glucaric Acid ◽  
Triple Mutant ◽  
Pharmaceutical Industries

Abstract Background Glucaric acid, one of the aldaric acids, has been declared a “top value-added chemical from biomass”, and is especially important in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Biocatalytic production of glucaric acid from glucuronic acid is more environmentally friendly, efficient and economical than chemical synthesis. Uronate dehydrogenases (UDHs) are the key enzymes for the preparation of glucaric acid in this way, but the poor thermostability and low activity of UDH limit its industrial application. Therefore, improving the thermostability and activity of UDH, for example by semi-rational design, is a major research goal. Results In the present work, three UDHs were obtained from different Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains. The three UDHs have an approximate molecular weight of 32 kDa and all contain typically conserved UDH motifs. All three UDHs showed optimal activity within a pH range of 6.0–8.5 and at a temperature of 30 °C, but the UDH from A. tumefaciens (At) LBA4404 had a better catalytic efficiency than the other two UDHs (800 vs 600 and 530 s−1 mM−1). To further boost the catalytic performance of the UDH from AtLBA4404, site-directed mutagenesis based on semi-rational design was carried out. An A39P/H99Y/H234K triple mutant showed a 400-fold improvement in half-life at 59 °C, a 5 °C improvement in $$ {\text{T}}_{ 5 0}^{ 1 0} $$ T 50 10 value and a 2.5-fold improvement in specific activity at 30 °C compared to wild-type UDH. Conclusions In this study, we successfully obtained a triple mutant (A39P/H99Y/H234K) with simultaneously enhanced activity and thermostability, which provides a novel alternative for the industrial production of glucaric acid from glucuronic acid.

scholarly journals Computational and experimental investigations of one-step conversion of poly(carbonate)s into value-added poly(aryl ether sulfone)s

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (28) ◽  
pp. 7722-7726 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gavin O. Jones ◽  
Alexander Yuen ◽  
Rudy J. Wojtecki ◽  
James L. Hedrick ◽  
Jeannette M. García
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Density Functional ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Single Step ◽  
Nucleophilic Attack ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Aryl Ether ◽  
One Step ◽  
Poly Carbonate

It is estimated that ∼2.7 million tons poly(carbonate)s (PCs) are produced annually worldwide. In 2008, retailers pulled products from store shelves after reports of bisphenol A (BPA) leaching from baby bottles, reusable drink bottles, and other retail products. Since PCs are not typically recycled, a need for the repurposing of the PC waste has arisen. We report the one-step synthesis of poly(aryl ether sulfone)s (PSUs) from the depolymerization of PCs and in situ polycondensation with bis(aryl fluorides) in the presence of carbonate salts. PSUs are high-performance engineering thermoplastics that are commonly used for reverse osmosis and water purification membranes, medical equipment, as well as high temperature applications. PSUs generated through this cascade approach were isolated in high purity and yield with the expected thermal properties and represent a procedure for direct conversion of one class of polymer to another in a single step. Computational investigations performed with density functional theory predict that the carbonate salt plays two important catalytic roles in this reaction: it decomposes the PCs by nucleophilic attack, and in the subsequent polyether formation process, it promotes the reaction of phenolate dimers formed in situ with the aryl fluorides present. We envision repurposing poly(BPA carbonate) for the production of value-added polymers.

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