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Abstract: A thermoresponsive lipase catalyst with an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) of about 26 °C was exploited by covalent immobilization of an enzyme, Pseudomonas cepacia lipase (PSL), onto poly(acrylamide‐co‐acrylonitrile) by glutaraldehyde coupling. The experimental conditions for the PSL immobilization were optimized. The immobilized PSL was much more stable for wide ranges of temperature and pH than free PSL. The material was also evaluated as an asymmetric catalyst in the kinetic resolution of racemic α‐methylbenzyl butyrate at 55 °C in an aqueous medium and exhibited high catalytic performance and stability. Up to 50 % conversion and 99.5 % product enantiomeric excess were achieved, thus providing highly pure enantiomers. This biocatalyst could be easily recovered by simple decantation for reuse based on temperature‐induced precipitation. It showed good reusability and retained 80.5 % of its original activity with a well reserved enantioselectivity in the 6th cycle. This work would shed light on the future development of new UCST‐type enzyme catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three-dimensionally ordered macroporous alumina-carbon composite materials were firstly prepared through a surfactant-assisted colloidal crystal template method and applied to support Pt nanoparticles. The results of SEM, XRD, TEM, and N2 sorption analyses revealed that these composite materials possessed highly ordered macroporous structures with meso- and micropores within the skeletons of macropores and that the Pt nanoparticles were well dispersed on these materials with a very narrow size distribution. These prepared Pt nanocatalysts were evaluated in the asymmetric hydrogenation of ethyl pyruvate after chiral modification with cinchonidine. Excellent catalytic activity and enantioselectivity were achieved. More importantly, these catalysts exhibited extraordinary stability and reusability during the reaction and could be reused at least 26 times without significant loss in catalytic activity and enantioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]