Silica, Alumina and Clay Catalyzed Peptide Bond Formation: Enhanced Efficiency of Alumina Catalyst

Overview

Journal Orig Life Evol Biosph

Specialties Biology
Molecular Biology

Date 1999 Nov 26

PMID 10573687

Citations 19

Authors

J Bujdak

B M Rode

Affiliations

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Abstract

Catalytic efficiencies of clay (hectorite), silica and alumina were tested in peptide bond formation reactions of glycine (Gly), alanine (Ala), proline (Pro), valine (Val) and leucine (Leu). The reactions were performed as drying/wetting (hectorite) and temperature fluctuation (silica and alumina) experiments at 85 degrees C. The reactivity of amino acids decreased in order Gly > Ala > Pro approximately Val approximately Leu. The highest catalytic efficiency was observed for alumina, the only catalyst producing oligopeptides in all investigated reaction systems. The peptide bond formation on alumina is probably catalyzed by the same sites and via similar reaction mechanisms as some alumina-catalyzed dehydration reactions used in industrial chemistry.

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