Immobilization of Enzyme on Hydrophobic Room Temperature Solid-Phase Ionic Liquids and Its Use for Biocatalytic Transesterification in Organic Solvent: Remarkably Enhanced Activity of Lipase

esterification Nonaqueous biocatalysis provides a useful methodology in organic synthesis.1 For example, lipase catalysis in organic solvents is of great use for the synthesis of optically active compounds such as chiral alcohols, acids, and their esters.2 However, biocatalysis in nonaqueous media often reduces the activity, selectivity, and stability of the enzymes used.3 Many approaches have been proposed to overcome this limitation. Among them, the use of ionic liquids as an alternative solvent for biotransformations in nonaqueous solvents has been found to enhance the activity, selectivity, and stability of enzymes.4-10 In addition, a novel approach with ionic liquid-coated enzyme, which was readily pre-pared by mixing the enzyme powder with a room temper-ature solid-phase ionic liquid (RTSPIL) at an elevate