Catalyses by polymer complexes. Part 3. Polymer micellar catalysis of isoalloxazine (flavin) oxidation of thiols

The effect of cationic polymer micelles on the isoalloxazine (flavin) oxidation of thiols is reported: the polymers employed were poly-(2-ethyl-1-vinylimidazole) quaternized with ethyl bromide and lauryl bromide [lauryl group content: 8.8 mol % (L-9), 28.9 mol % (L-29), and 40.9 mol % (L-41)]. Addition of L-29 and L-41 polymers caused a red shift of the u.v. absorption maximum of thiophenoxide ion and an increase in its acid dissociation constant, while L-9 polymer scarcely affected these values. Under anaerobic conditions, the oxidation of thiophenol and 2-mercaptoethanol by 10-ethyl-3-methylisoalloxazine in the presence of micelle-like polymers (L-29 and L-41) was 10²-10⁵ times faster than the corresponding reaction in a non-polymeric system, whereas L-9, a polyelectrolyte-like polymer, produced almost no acceleration. The thiolate anion bound to the polymer domain is activated probably due to the formation of a hydrophobic ion pair. On the other hand, the oxidation of butane-1,4-dithiol was not much affected by the polymer micelle. The difference in mechanism of dithiol oxidation is discussed in connection with the microenvironmental effect.