The optimum operating temperature and pH have been determined for a catalyst prepared by the insolubilization of a hepatic microsomal mixed-function oxidase on alumina. An optimum oxygen concentration has also been determined for the catalyst bound on glass beads.
Temperature is a more significant parameter than pH in calculating potential catalyst yield.
The function of this reaction system is to produce enzymically new drugs and related metabolites that are difficult or impossible to synthesize by standard chemical techniques. The purpose of optimizing this enzyme-catalyzed reaction system is to obtain products which are difficult or impossible to synthesize by direct chemical means. In compounds that contain more than one readily oxidized group the enzyme catalyzes the oxidation at only one position. On the other hand, direct chemical oxidation usually produces a variety of products which are difficult to purify. The synthesis of amine oxide derivatives of a variety of drugs in sufficient quantities for animal testing is possible with reactors using the insolubilized mixed-function oxidase as the catalyst.