Polyoxometalate/laccase-mediated oxidative polymerization of catechol for textile dyeing.

The synergistic effect between polyoxometalates (POMs), namely K(5)[SiW(11)V(V)O(40)]·11H(2)O and H(5)[PMo(10)V(V) (2)O(40)]·13H(2)O and laccase from ascomycete Myceliophthora thermophila has been employed for the first time in oxidative polymerization of catechol. Such a laccase-mediator system allowed the formation of a relatively high molecular weight polycatechol as confirmed by size exclusion chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) (3990 Da when using K(5)[SiW(11)V(V)O(40)]·11H(2)O and 3600 Da with H(5)[PMo(10)V(V) (2)O(40)]·13H(2)O). The synthesized polymers were applied as dyes for the dyeing of flax fabrics. The color intensity of flax fabrics colored with polymer solutions was evaluated by diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry via k/s measurements (+10% of fixation ratio). A new synthetic process allowed a dyeing polymer, provided upon flax coloration, better color fixation and color resistance when compared to that obtained by conventional synthesis with laccase solely or with addition of organic mediator (1-hydroxybenzotriazole).