Heteroatom‐Engineered Linear Conjugated Polymers for Photocatalytic O <sub>2</sub> Reduction and Biocatalytic sp <sup>3</sup> C─H Oxyfunctionalization
ABSTRACT Visible light‐driven biocatalytic oxyfunctionalization using water and oxygen as feedstocks represents a key strategy for sustainable and environmentally friendly solar‐to‐chemical conversion. Here, we report an azine‐tailored linear conjugated polymer for in situ oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) generation and biocatalytic oxyfunctionalization of inert C─H bonds. The in situ generated H 2 O 2 subsequently activates the unspecific peroxygenase from Agrocybe aegerita ( rAae UPO) that catalyzes the enantioselective sp 3 oxyfunctionalization. Experimental and theoretical investigation revealed that poly(1,4‐diethynylbenzene‐alt‐2,5‐pyrazine) (DEBPz) exhibits high selectivity toward H 2 O 2 formation over H 2 O and reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby significantly enhancing the stability of both the photocatalyst and the enzyme. As a result, the DEBPz/ rAae UPO photobiocatalytic system achieved robust and effective oxyfunctionalization reaction over 60 h, reaching a total turnover number of 142,000. This work underscores strategic control over both catalytic selectivity and system durability as a decisive factor in enabling robust, solar‐powered biotransformation for sustainable chemical synthesis.
Authors
- Chan Beum Park (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0767-8629)
- Chung Hyun Lee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0365-6529)
Institutions
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advanced Functional Materials
- Published
- 2026-02-15
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.74537
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Research Foundation
- Technische Universiteit Delft
- National Research Foundation of Korea
- Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea