Cofactor-independent photo-enzymatic reductions with water mediated by reductive graphene quantum dots

Anming Wang (), Xiaoyu Li, Li Qiao (), Xiaoting Pan, Yongjian Jiang, Zhiguo Wang (), Wei Ye (), Peng Gao () and Roger A. Sheldon ()
Additional contact information
Anming Wang: Hangzhou Normal University
Xiaoyu Li: Hangzhou Normal University
Li Qiao: Hangzhou Normal University
Xiaoting Pan: Hangzhou Normal University
Yongjian Jiang: Hangzhou Normal University
Zhiguo Wang: Hangzhou Normal University
Wei Ye: Hangzhou Normal University
Peng Gao: Hangzhou Normal University
Roger A. Sheldon: PO Wits.

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Enzymatic reductions catalyzed by reductases generally depend on reduced nicotinamide cofactors as a hydride source. However, for industrial viability, it is more cost-effective to use water as the hydrogen source, bypassing the requirement for the cofactor. Here we report a hybrid photo-biocatalyst system based on infrared (IR) light and responsive reductive graphene quantum dots (rGQDs), for performing the direct transfer of hydrogen from water to prochiral substrates. The photo-biocatalyst, assembled from rGQDs and cross-linked aldo-keto reductase (AKR), mediates the synthesis of the pharmaceutical intermediate, (R)−1-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl] ethanol ((R)−3,5-BTPE), in 82% yield and >99.99% ee under IR illumination. Our photo-enzymatic systems can also be effectively used to drive the enzymatic reduction of imines and alkenes. Since the hybrid photo-biocatalysts are insoluble, they can be readily recovered and recycled. This work opens new avenues to create artificial photo-biocatalyst systems, enabling the facile coupling of renewable solar energy and sustainable chemical production.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61908-6 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-61908-6

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61908-6

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().