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Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Light-driven Enzymatic Decarboxylation
Published on: May 22, 2016
Photocatalytic decarboxylation of lactic acid by Pt/TiO2
Kaituo Liu1, Anton Litke, Yaqiong Su
1Inorganic Materials Chemistry group, Schuit Institute of Catalysis, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands. e.a.pidko@tue.nl e.j.m.hensen@tue.nl.
Abstract:
A photocatalytic route for the conversion of lactic acid to acetaldehyde in water is demonstrated. Direct UV photolysis of lactic acid yields CO2 and ethanol via a radical mechanism. Pt/TiO2 considerably increases the rate of lactic acid decarboxylation with acetaldehyde, H2 and CO2 as the main products. A concerted photodecarboxylation/dehydrogenation mechanism is proposed.
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