Programmable Molecular Hubs Orchestrate Orthogonal CO 2 ‐to‐CH 4 Photocatalysis and Biomass Valorization

ABSTRACT Semi‐artificial photosynthesis that merges biocatalytic specificity with engineered materials enables sustainable solar fuel production, yet it remains constrained by low solar‐to‐chemical efficiency and limited scalability. Here, we present a supramolecular strategy by programmatically integrating photocatalysts, biocatalysts, and cofactors on a single protein scaffold, and realize the coupling of photocatalytic CO 2 ‐to‐CH 4 conversion with enzymatic biomass upgrading. A rationally designed molecular hub—comprising switchable μ ‐oxo‐bridged bis(Fe III ‐porphyrin) units and NADH mimics—drives deep CO 2 reduction to CH 4 at rates up to 32 000 µmol g −1 h −1 with >99% selectivity and a total apparent quantum efficiency of 1.82%. Modular tethering of diverse dehydrogenases activates inert C(sp 3 )─H bonds, delivering C 2─ C 6 chemicals, including enantioenriched compounds ( ee >96%). This programmable platform establishes a redox‐balanced strategy for solar‐driven synthesis of fuels and fine chemicals from CO 2 and low‐value feedstocks, unifying abiotic and biotic catalysis within a single framework.

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Publication Details

Journal
Angewandte Chemie
Published
2026-10-06
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.3751201
Primary Topic
Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
Type
article
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article

Programmable Molecular Hubs Orchestrate Orthogonal CO 2 ‐to‐CH 4 Photocatalysis and Biomass Valorization

Junkai Cai, Chunying Duan, Lingxiao Wang, Xinyu Xiao et al.
Angewandte Chemie
Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
article

Programmable Molecular Hubs Orchestrate Orthogonal CO 2 ‐to‐CH 4 Photocatalysis and Biomass Valorization

Junkai Cai, Chunying Duan, Lingxiao Wang, Xinyu Xiao, Yutian Wang, Zhefan Li
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Semi‐artificial photosynthesis that merges biocatalytic specificity with engineered materials enables sustainable solar fuel production, yet it remains constrained by low solar‐to‐chemical efficiency and limited scalability. Here, we present a supramolecular strategy by programmatically integrating photocatalysts, biocatalysts, and cofactors on a single protein scaffold, and realize the coupling of photocatalytic CO 2 ‐to‐CH 4 conversion with enzymatic biomass upgrading. A rationally designed molecular hub—comprising switchable μ ‐oxo‐bridged bis(Fe III ‐porphyrin) units and NADH mimics—drives deep CO 2 reduction to CH 4 at rates up to 32 000 µmol g −1 h −1 with >99% selectivity and a total apparent quantum efficiency of 1.82%. Modular tethering of diverse dehydrogenases activates inert C(sp 3 )─H bonds, delivering C 2─ C 6 chemicals, including enantioenriched compounds ( ee >96%). This programmable platform establishes a redox‐balanced strategy for solar‐driven synthesis of fuels and fine chemicals from CO 2 and low‐value feedstocks, unifying abiotic and biotic catalysis within a single framework.

Angewandte Chemie
Nanjing University (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 33%
Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
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Programmable Molecular Hubs Orchestrate Orthogonal CO 2 ‐to‐CH 4 Photocatalysis and Biomass Valorization — Junkai Cai, Chunying Duan, et al. · Angewandte Chemie (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS