Biocatalysis fluorous solvents

Hobbs, H.R. and Thomas, N.R., Biocatalysis in supercritical fluids, in fluorous solvents, and under solvent-free conditions. Chem. Rev., 2007, 107, 2786-2820. 

The use of fluorous solvents in catalysis has recently moved into the realm of biocatalysis." Protein-surfactant complexes were formed by hydrophobic ion... 

Biocatalysis in supercritical fluids, fluorous solvents, and under solvent-free conditions was recently reviewed (80). In this book, de Geus et al (17), Villarroya (41) and Bruns et al (32) all provide important examples of how supercritical CO2 can be used for enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Furthermore, Srienc et al (38) used ionic liquid media for enzyme-catalyzed polymerizations of p-butyrolactone in order to prepare poly(hydroxyalkanoic acids), PHA. The role of ionic liquids was to both maintain enzyme activity and propagating chain solubility so that high molecular weight products could be obtained in monophasic media. 

Another environmental issue is the use of organic solvents. The use of chlorinated hydrocarbons, for example, has been severely curtailed. In fact, so many of the solvents favored by organic chemists are now on the black list that the whole question of solvents requires rethinking. The best solvent is no solvent, and if a solvent (diluent) is needed, then water has a lot to recommend it. This provides a golden opportunity for biocatalysis, since the replacement of classic chemical methods in organic solvents by enzymatic procedures in water at ambient temperature and pressure can provide substantial environmental and economic benefits. Similarly, there is a marked trend toward the application of organometal-lic catalysis in aqueous biphasic systems and other nonconventional media, such as fluorous biphasic, supercritical carbon dioxide and ionic liquids. ... 

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