Design of phosphonium-type zwitterion as an additive to improve saturated water content of phase-separated ionic liquid from aqueous phase toward reversible extraction of proteins

Int J Mol Sci. 2013 Sep 5;14(9):18350-61. doi: 10.3390/ijms140918350.

Abstract

We designed phosphonium-type zwitterion (ZI) to control the saturated water content of separated ionic liquid (IL) phase in the hydrophobic IL/water biphasic systems. The saturated water content of separated IL phase, 1-butyl-3-methyimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, was considerably improved from 0.4 wt% to 62.8 wt% by adding N,N,N-tripentyl-4-sulfonyl-1-butanephosphonium-type ZI (P555C4S). In addition, the maximum water content decreased from 62.8 wt% to 34.1 wt% by increasing KH2PO4/K2HPO4 salt content in upper aqueous phosphate buffer phase. Horse heart cytochrome c (cyt.c) was dissolved selectively in IL phase by improving the water content of IL phase, and spectroscopic analysis revealed that the dissolved cyt.c retained its higher ordered structure. Furthermore, cyt. c dissolved in IL phase was re-extracted again from IL phase to aqueous phase by increasing the concentration of inorganic salts of the buffer solution.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cytochromes c / chemistry
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Ionic Liquids / chemistry*
  • Organophosphorus Compounds / chemistry*
  • Proteins / chemistry
  • Water / chemistry*

Substances

  • Ionic Liquids
  • Organophosphorus Compounds
  • Proteins
  • Water
  • Cytochromes c