The unique properties of mesostructured cellular foam (MCF) silica such as, large pore size, continuous three-dimensional (3D) pore system and hydrothermal robust materialallow favorable conditions for incorporating active sites to produce modified MCF silica as catalysts, biocatalysts and adsorbents. Recently, the modified MCF silicas were reported to be efficient catalysts for the hydrogenation of phenylacetylene, heck coupling reaction of arylboronic acid, etc. Biocatalysts derived from modified MCF silicas were found to be a potential to convert glucose to gluconic acid, hydrolysis of N-benzoyl-DLarginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) and casein, transesterification of racemic 1 phenyl- ethanol and hydrolytic, etc. Several separation processes such as CO₂ capture and adsorption of L-tryptophan, lysozyme and bovine serum were sucessfully conducted using adsorbents derived from modified MCF silicas. This paper reviews the synthesis of the MCF silica material and the incorporation of active sites or immobilization of enzymes in the MCF silica material. Additionally, a detailed understanding of the characterization of the modified MCF silicas, which includes pore size, active sites/enzymes sizes, amount of active sites/enzymes bound with the MCF silica, was also discussed to obtain their potentialities as catalysts, biocatalysts and adsorbents. The review also describes recent progress on the applications of the MCF silica.

In this report, effects of reaction parameters on kinetic resolution of racemic atenolol using Pseudomonas fluorescens lipase were investigated via transesterification for production of pharmacologically active eutomer (S)-atenolol with high enantiomeric purity. It was found that a temperature of 45 °C produced an acceptable enantioselectivity (E: 17). Good agitation speeds were found at 170–230 rpm producing E values of 12–15, whilst an enzyme activity of ≥2500 U gave 100% conversion of the (S)-atenolol. Substrate concentrations of 11.26–18.80 mM gave E values of 11.6–12.3. Variation of the substrate molar ratio yielded (S)-atenolol conversions of 44.67–61.58% with E = 12–23.