New process uses light and enzymes to create greener chemicals

Researchers at the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) have made major breakthroughs that could lead to better, and more environmentally friendly, agricultural chemicals and everyday products.

Using a combined process Natural Enzymes A team at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has developed an environmentally friendly way to use light and heat to precisely mix a critical additive, fluorine, into chemicals called olefins, a class of hydrocarbons used in a wide range of products from detergents to fuels to pharmaceuticals. The breakthrough offers a new strategy to efficiently produce high-value chemicals that could have applications in agricultural chemicals, pharmaceuticals, renewable fuels and more.

This study Science, The research was led by Huimin Zhao, CABBI Transformational Theme Leader and Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE), Biosystems Design Theme Leader in the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology (IGB) and director of the NSF Molecular Makers Laboratory at Illinois, and lead author Maolin Li, a postdoctoral researcher in CABBI, ChBE and IGB.

As an additive, fluoride can increase the effectiveness and duration of pesticides and medicines. Due to its small size, Electronic propertiesand lipid solubility have a significant impact on the functionality of organic molecules, enhancing absorption, metabolic stability, and protein interactions. However, fluorination is difficult and usually requires complex chemical processes that are not necessarily environmentally friendly.

In this study, the scientists introduced fluorine to these chemicals using “photoenzymes,” recycling enzymes that work under light. By using light and photoenzymes, they were able to precisely attach fluorine to olefins and control exactly where and how the fluorine was added. Not only is this method environmentally friendly, it is highly specific, making it more efficient to create useful new compounds that were previously difficult to make.

This approach fills a major gap in molecular chemistry because previous methods of adding fluorine were limited and inefficient. It also opens up new possibilities for producing better medicines and agricultural products because fluorinated compounds are often more effective, stable, and longer-lasting than their non-fluorinated counterparts. This means fertilizers and herbicides can be more effective at protecting crops, and medicines can be more powerful or have fewer side effects.

“This breakthrough marks a sea change in how we approach the synthesis of fluorinated compounds that are important for many applications, from medicine to agriculture,” Zhao said. “By harnessing the power of light-activated enzymes, we have developed a method to improve the efficiency of these syntheses and align them with environmental sustainability. This research could pave the way for new, greener technologies in chemical production, which is a win not only for science but for society as a whole.”

This research advances CABBI’s bioenergy mission by developing innovative methods of biocatalysis that can enhance the production of bio-based chemicals – chemicals derived from renewable resources such as plants and microorganisms rather than petroleum. The development of more efficient and environmentally friendly biochemical processes aligns with CABBI’s goal of focusing on creating sustainable bioenergy solutions that minimize environmental impact and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

It also contributes to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) broader mission of advancing bioenergy and bioproducts. The methods developed in this research could lead to more sustainable industrial processes that consume less energy and reduce chemical waste and pollution, supporting DOE’s goal of advancing clean energy technologies. The ability to efficiently produce high-value fluorinated compounds could lead to the enhancement of a variety of sectors, including renewable energy sources and bioproducts that support economic growth and environmental sustainability.

“Our research opens up fascinating possibilities for the future of pharmaceutical and agrochemical development,” said Lee. “By incorporating fluorine into organic molecules through a photoenzymatic process, we are not only enhancing the beneficial properties of these compounds, but we are doing so in a more environmentally responsible way. It’s exciting to think about the potential applications of our research to create more effective and sustainable products for everyday use.”

CABBI researchers Yujie Yuan, Wesley Harrison, and Zhengyi Zhang of the University of Illinois’ ChBE and IGB are co-authors on the study.