Atomically dispersed iron sites from eco-friendly microbial mycelium as highly efficient hydrogenation catalyst

Iron, one of the most abundant elements on earth and an essential element for living organisms, plays a crucial role in our daily metabolism. In the field of catalysis, the development of high-performance catalysts based on less toxic iron element is also of significant importance for green chemistry and a sustainable future. To construct Fe-based heterogeneous catalysts with excellent hydrogenation performance, precise modulation of the atomic coordination structure is a key strategy for enhancing catalytic activity. In this study, we present an in-situ coating method for applying a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) onto the surface of fungal hyphae. The asymmetric coordination structure of Fe₁-N₃P₁ was precisely tailored by utilizing the phosphorus source from the fungus and the nitrogen source in the ZIFs. Detailed characterizations and density functional theory calculations revealed that the incorporation of ZIFs not only increased the specific surface area of catalysts, but also facilitated the dispersion of Fe₂P nanoparticles into the Fe₁-N₃P₁ center, making the lowest reaction energy barrier and resulting in the best performance for nitrobenzene hydrogenation when compared to the Fe₂P nanoparticles and clusters. This research introduces a novel design concept for constructing asymmetric monoatomic configuration based on the inherent characteristics of natural microorganisms and the exogenous porous coordination polymers.