Thermodynamics of Enzymic Peptide Synthesis in Biphasic Aqueous-Organic Systems: Coupling of the Chemical and Phase Equilibria

Chemical and phase equilibria in enzymic peptide synthesis in a biphasic aqueous-organic system are coupled, the mass transfer providing the "driving force" for the synthetic reaction. The overall synthetic equilibrium is characterized by an equilibrium constant, independent of pH, phase volume ratio and reactants partition coefficients. A linear free-energy relationship is observed for this equilibrium constant and the extraction equilibrium constant.