134178-81-7Relevant articles and documents
Formation of silicones mediated by the sponge enzyme silicatein-α
Wolf, Stephan E.,Schlossmacher, Ute,Pietuch, Anna,Mathiasch, Bernd,Schroeder, Heinz-C.,Mueller, Werner E. G.,Tremel, Wolfgang
experimental part, p. 9245 - 9249 (2011/01/11)
The sponge-restricted enzyme silicatein-α catalyzes in vivo silica formation from monomeric silicon compounds from sea water (i.e. silicic acid) and plays the pivotal role during synthesis of the siliceous sponge spicules. Recombinant silicatein-α, which was cloned from the demosponge Suberites domuncula (phylum Porifera), is shown to catalyze in vitro condensation of alkoxy silanes during a phase transfer reaction at neutral pH and ambient temperature to yield silicones like the straight-chained polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The reported condensation reaction is considered to be the first description of an enzymatically enhanced organometallic condensation reaction. The Royal Society of Chemistry.
