Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP)01:16

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP)

Ring-opening metathesis polymerization or ROMP involves strained cycloalkenes as starting materials. The mechanism of ROMP proceeds by reacting cycloalkene with Grubbs catalyst to give metallacyclobutane intermediate which undergoes a ring-opening reaction to form new carbene. The new carbene reacts with another molecule of cycloalkene. Repetition of these steps leads to the formation of an unsaturated open-chain polymer product. All these steps are reversible, however, relieving the ring...
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview01:13

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview

Recently, the development of olefin metathesis polymerization advanced the field of polymer synthesis. Simply put, the reorganization of substituents on their double bonds between two olefins in the presence of a catalyst is known as the olefin metathesis reaction. The use of metathesis reaction for polymer synthesis is called olefin metathesis polymerization.
Ruthenium-based Grubbs catalyst is the most commonly used catalyst for olefin metathesis polymerization. Grubbs catalyst consists of a...
Base-Catalyzed Ring-Opening of Epoxides02:26

Base-Catalyzed Ring-Opening of Epoxides

Due to their highly strained structures, epoxides can readily undergo ring-opening reactions through nucleophilic substitution, either in the presence of an acid or a base. The nucleophilic substitution reactions in the presence of acid are called acid-catalyzed ring-opening reactions, and nucleophilic substitution reactions in the presence of a base are called base-catalyzed ring-opening reactions. Epoxides undergo base-catalyzed ring-opening reactions in the presence of a strong nucleophile...
Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:17

Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Ziegler–Natta polymerization is another form of addition or chain‐growth polymerization used for synthesizing linear polymers over branched polymers. The catalyst used for polymerization is the Ziegler–Natta catalyst, named after Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta, who developed it in 1953. This catalyst is an organometallic complex of titanium tetrachloride and triethyl aluminum, with the active form of the catalyst being an alkyl titanium compound. Using the Ziegler–Natta catalyst, high molecular...
Acid-Catalyzed Ring-Opening of Epoxides02:24

Acid-Catalyzed Ring-Opening of Epoxides

Epoxides that are three-membered ring systems are more reactive than other cyclic and acyclic ethers. The high reactivity of epoxides originates from the strain present in the ring. This ring strain acts as a driving force for epoxides to undergo ring-opening reactions either with halogen acids or weak nucleophiles in the presence of mild acid. The acid catalyst converts the epoxide oxygen, a poor leaving group, into an oxonium ion, a better leaving group, making the reaction feasible. The...
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)00:53

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)

Acyclic diene metathesis polymerization or ADMET polymerization involves cross-metathesis of terminal dienes, such as 1,8-nonadiene, to give linear unsaturated polymer and ethylene. As ADMET is a reversible process, the formed ethylene gas must be removed from the reaction mixture to complete the polymerization process.
Similar to cross-metathesis, ADMET also involves the formation of metallacyclobutane intermediate by [2+2] cycloaddition of one of the double bonds of a terminal diene with...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Oppositely Charged Single Enzyme Nanogels Form Versatile Coacervates for Efficient Enzyme Cascade Catalysis.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2026
Same author

Engineering a Transmembrane Receptor for Coacervate-Based Artificial Cells.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Converging frontiers in biomolecular condensate and synthetic cell research.

npj biomedical innovations·2026
Same author

Bio-Propelled Stomatocyte Nanomotors with Glutathione-Responsiveness for Osteoarthritis Treatment.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026
Same author

Reconfiguration of Multiphase Coacervate Droplets Into Self-Regulated Nested Artificial Cells.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026
Same author

Bottom-Up Coacervate-Based Artificial Cells: Integrating Cellular Hallmarks into Complex Life-Like Systems.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
05:48

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes

Published on: November 21, 2017

Polymersome nanoreactors for enzymatic ring-opening polymerization.

Madhavan Nallani1, Hans-Peter M de Hoog, Jeroen J L M Cornelissen

  • 1Department of Organic Chemistry, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Biomacromolecules
|November 13, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Enzymatic ring-opening polymerization of lactones was studied using polymersomes with immobilized enzymes. Polymerization activity and polymersome stability depended on enzyme location, with product formation destabilizing the structure.

More Related Videos

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers
08:12

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers

Published on: December 16, 2022

Particles without a Box: Brush-first Synthesis of Photodegradable PEG Star Polymers under Ambient Conditions
06:56

Particles without a Box: Brush-first Synthesis of Photodegradable PEG Star Polymers under Ambient Conditions

Published on: October 10, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
05:48

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes

Published on: November 21, 2017

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers
08:12

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers

Published on: December 16, 2022

Particles without a Box: Brush-first Synthesis of Photodegradable PEG Star Polymers under Ambient Conditions
06:56

Particles without a Box: Brush-first Synthesis of Photodegradable PEG Star Polymers under Ambient Conditions

Published on: October 10, 2013

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Enzyme Catalysis

Background:

  • Polymersomes offer unique compartments for enzyme immobilization.
  • Enzyme localization within nanostructures can influence catalytic efficiency.
  • Ring-opening polymerization is a key method for synthesizing biodegradable polyesters.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate enzymatic ring-opening polymerization of lactones within polymersomes.
  • To determine the effect of enzyme location (aqueous core vs. bilayer) on polymerization activity.
  • To assess the impact of polymerization on polymersome structural integrity.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis of polystyrene-polyisocyanopeptide (PS-PIAT) polymersomes.
  • Immobilization of Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) in different locations within polymersomes.
  • Enzymatic ring-opening polymerization of 8-octanolactone and dodecalactone in aqueous media.
  • Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to analyze polymersome morphology.

Main Results:

  • Polymersomes successfully catalyzed the ring-opening polymerization of lactones, producing oligomers.
  • Enzyme localization significantly affected polymerization activity.
  • Polymersome structures were destabilized during polymerization, particularly when polymer products were formed.
  • Vesicular morphology was compromised only upon successful polymer formation.

Conclusions:

  • Enzyme-loaded polymersomes are effective catalysts for lactone polymerization in water.
  • The spatial arrangement of enzymes within polymersomes dictates catalytic performance.
  • Polymersome stability is linked to the outcome of the polymerization process, highlighting potential challenges and opportunities for controlled release or degradation.