Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 17, 2026

Visible-light Induced Reduction of Graphene Oxide Using Plasmonic Nanoparticle
Published on: September 22, 2015
Cofactor-independent photo-enzymatic reductions with water mediated by reductive graphene quantum dots
Anming Wang1, Xiaoyu Li2, Li Qiao3
1Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Materials Technology, Ministry of Education; College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311121, P. R. China. waming@hznu.edu.
Abstract:
Enzymatic reductions catalyzed by reductases generally depend on reduced nicotinamide cofactors as a hydride source. However, for industrial viability, it is more cost-effective to use water as the hydrogen source, bypassing the requirement for the cofactor. Here we report a hybrid photo-biocatalyst system based on infrared (IR) light and responsive reductive graphene quantum dots (rGQDs), for performing the direct transfer of hydrogen from water to prochiral substrates. The photo-biocatalyst, assembled from rGQDs and cross-linked aldo-keto reductase (AKR), mediates the synthesis of the pharmaceutical intermediate, (R)-1-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl] ethanol ((R)-3,5-BTPE), in 82% yield and >99.99% ee under IR illumination. Our photo-enzymatic systems can also be effectively used to drive the enzymatic reduction of imines and alkenes. Since the hybrid photo-biocatalysts are insoluble, they can be readily recovered and recycled. This work opens new avenues to create artificial photo-biocatalyst systems, enabling the facile coupling of renewable solar energy and sustainable chemical production.
Related Concept Videos
The Z-Scheme of Electron Transport in Photosynthesis
Oxidation of Phenols to Quinones
o-hydroxy phenols are oxidized to o-quinones and p-hydroxy phenols to p-quinones. Such redox reactions involve the transfer of two electrons and two protons. The reversible redox...
Role of Reduced Coenzymes NADH and FADH₂
The Photochemical Reaction Center
Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview
Oxidation and Reduction of Organic Molecules
The removal of an electron from a molecule, results in a...

