Electro‐Driven Multi‐Enzymatic Cascade Conversion of CO2 to Ethylene Glycol in Nano‐Reactor

Abstract

Abstract Multi‐enzymatic cascade reaction provides a new avenue for C─C coupling directly from CO2 under mild conditions. In this study, a new pathway with four enzymes including formate dehydrogenase (PaFDH), formaldehyde dehydrogenase (BmFADH), glycolaldehyde synthase (PpGALS), and alcohol dehydrogenase (GoADH) is developed for directly converting CO2 gas molecules to ethylene glycol (EG) in vitro. A rhodium‐based NADH regeneration electrode is constructed to continuously provide the proton and electron of this multi‐enzymatic cascade reaction. The prepared electrode can reach the Faradaic Efficiency (FE) of 82.9% at −0.6 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and the NADH productivity of 0.737 mM h−1. Shortening the reaction path is crucial for multi‐enzymatic cascade reactions. Here, a hydrogen‐bonded organic framework (HOF) nano‐reactor is successfully developed to immobilize four enzymes in one pot with a striking enzyme loading capacity (990 mg enzyme g−1 material). Through integrating and optimization of NADH electro‐regeneration and enzymatic catalysis in one pot, 0.15 mM EG is achieved with an average conversion rate of 7.15 × 10−7 mmol CO2 min−1 mg−1 enzymes in 6 h. These results shed light on electro‐driven multi‐enzymatic cascade conversion of C─C coupling from CO2 in the nano‐reactor.

Keywords

• CO2 reduction
• electro‐NADH regeneration
• ethylene glycol
• hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks
• multi‐enzymatic cascade conversion