Fast hydrolytic cleavage of proteins by coordinatively polymerized bilayer membranes

Coordinatively polymerized bilayer membranes (CPBMs) obtained by sonication of 1, an amphiphile containing o,o′-dihydroxyazobenzene moiety, in the presence of Co(III) or Fe(III) ion were found to cleave hydrolytically chymotrypsin (ChT) and carboxypeptidase A (CPA). Inactivation of ChT was complete within a few minutes at 4°C and pH 5.5–9.5 when the amphiphile concentration was 5.12 mM.