title: Lipase-catalyzed transformation of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) into cyclic dicaprolactone.
abstract: The enzymatic degradation and polymerization using an enzyme were carried out with respect to the establishment of a sustainable chemical recycling system for poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) which is a typical biodegradable synthetic plastic. The enzymatic transformation of PCL having an Mn of 110,000 using Candida antarctica lipase (lipase CA) in water-containing toluene at 40 degrees C afforded the corresponding cyclic dicaprolactone (DCL, 1,8-dioxacyclotetradecane-2,9-dione) in a yield of up to 97%. Thus the obtained DCL readily polymerized again using both the fresh and recovered lipase CAs.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ebata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toshima
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsumura
mesh_terms: D002175:Candida / Q000201:enzymology; D002384:Catalysis; D003500:Cyclization; D007783:Lactones / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D008049:Lipase / Q000737:chemistry*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C443713:1,8-dioxacyclotetradecane-2,9-dione; D007783:Lactones; D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; D008049:Lipase