Macroporous Silica Microcapsules Immobilizing Esterase with High Hydrolysis Reactivity

Abstract An esterase, 3,4-dihydrocoumarin hydrolase, was directly immobilized into silica microcapsules. The hydrolysis reaction of 3,4-dihydrocoumarin by a macroporous silica microcapsule immobilizing the esterase was faster than those by mesoporous ones. Using this macroporous microcapsule, the hydrolysis reaction of p-nitrophenyl acetate proceeded with comparable rate to non-immobilized esterase.