ENZYMATIC RING-OPENING POLYADDITION FOR CHITIN SYNTHESIS - A CATIONICMECHANISM IN BASIC SOLUTION

The in vitro synthesis of chitin via a nonbiosynthetic path has been a chieved for the first time by enzymatic ring-opening polyaddition of a chitobiose oxazoline monomer (C2O). Chitinase, a hydrolysis enzyme of chitin, recognized and polymerized the monomer regio- and stereoselec tively. The structure of artificial chitin was confirmed by comparison with an authentic natural chitin sample with the use of CP/MAS C-13 N MR and IR spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction as well as NMR analysis show ed its crystal structure of alpha-chitin. Characteristic features of t he present polymerization are described.