Core–shell BaPP@BDO-Rh benzimidazole oligomer photocatalyst can effectively promote NADH regeneration and CO2 conversion to fumarate

Abstract

The clean energy potential of photoenzyme catalysis has gained significant attention amidst the environmental and energy crisis. BaPP@BDO-Rh, a hydrophilic core–shell catalyst, was developed for photocatalytic NADH regeneration. It incorporates benzimidazole oligomers onto BaSO₄'s surface and pairs it with [Cp*Rh(bpy)H₂O]²⁺. Its photocatalytic regeneration NADH conversion frequency (TOF) of 113.16 h⁻¹ is the highest reported. Furthermore, when coupled with malate dehydrogenase (MaeB) and fumarate hydrase (FumC), the catalyst effectively converted CO₂ to fumarate, producing 79 μM of fumaric acid after a 3 hour photoenzyme reaction. This study introduces for the first time in the field of photoenzyme catalysis a high-performance oligomer photocatalyst and facilitates the high-value utilization of CO₂.