A silver cluster-assembled material as a matrix for enzyme immobilization towards a highly efficient biocatalyst

Silver cluster-assembled materials (SCAMs) epitomize well-defined extended crystalline frameworks that combine the ingenious designability at the atomic/molecular level and high structural robustness. They have captivated the interest of the scientific fraternity because of their modular construction which enables to systematically tailor their functions, and their capacity to not only inherit the characteristics of component building units but also introduce their uniqueness in endowing the final material with extraordinary properties. Herein, we demonstrate the synthesis of a novel (3,6)-connected two-dimensional (2D) SCAM [Ag₁₂(S^<i>t</i>Bu)₆(CF₃COO)₆(THIT)₆]_<i>n</i> (described as TUS 5, THIT = 2,4,6-tri(1<i>H</i>-imidazol-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazine) composed of Ag₁₂ cluster nodes and tritopic imidazolyl linkers. We have leveraged, for the first time, this precisely architected extended SCAM structure as a support matrix for enzyme immobilization. The electrostatic attraction between the negatively charged amano lipase PS and positively charged TUS 5 as well as the surface hydrophobicity of TUS 5 catered to great binding of lipase onto the TUS 5 matrix, in addition to boosting the activity of lipase <i>via</i> interfacial activation. Capitalizing on the cooperative benefits of organic and inorganic support matrices wherein organic supports impart with cost-efficiency, biocompatibility, and improved enzyme stability and reusability and inorganic supports confer high thermal, mechanical and microbial resistance, we have utilized the immobilized lipase on TUS 5 SCAM (lipase@TUS 5) for the kinetic resolution of (<i>R</i>,<i>S</i>)-1-phenylethanol by transesterification reaction. Importantly, lipase@TUS 5 could attain appreciably higher conversion into (<i>R</i>)-1-phenylethyl acetate, besides featuring superior thermal stability, solvent tolerance and recyclability, over the native lipase.