Merge biocatalysis and photocatalysis for new selective synthetic reactions

Photobiocatalysis combines enzymes with photocatalysis to unlock reaction pathways inaccessible to either discipline alone, yet no single reference has treated this interdisciplinary field comprehensively. Photobiocatalysis: Applying Light for Selective Organic Transformations assembles contributions from leading researchers in enzymology, photochemistry, biocatalysis, and synthetic chemistry to provide a unified treatment of the field's principles, methods, and applications.

The book covers natural photoenzymes, electron transfer mechanisms, synthetic photocatalysts paired with enzymes, artificial photoenzymes, and whole cell photobiocatalysis. Case studies and practical examples illustrate how light-driven enzymatic reactions achieve selectivity in organic synthesis. Chapters also address advances in protein engineering, bioinformatics, and AI that accelerate enzyme discovery and the design of new catalytic systems.

Readers will also find:

• Detailed treatment of radical intermediates generated through photoenzymatic catalysis and their role in enabling previously inaccessible bond-forming reactions
• Strategies for repurposing natural enzymes and creating artificial enzymes tailored to specific light-driven synthetic transformations in laboratory settings
• Analysis of how genetic engineering and computational tools streamline the identification and optimization of photoenzymes for targeted reaction selectivity
• Coverage of whole cell photobiocatalysis systems that integrate photocatalytic and enzymatic steps within living organisms for sustainable synthesis
• Discussion of flavin-based and other cofactor-dependent photoenzymatic mechanisms central to understanding reactivity and selectivity in photobiocatalytic processes

Synthetic chemists, organic chemists, and biochemists working in academia or industry will find this volume a direct entry point into the rapidly growing field of photobiocatalysis. Graduate students and researchers seeking to integrate photocatalytic and biocatalytic strategies into their work gain both foundational knowledge and actionable methodologies.

Todd K. Hyster, PhD, is a Professor of Chemistry at Princeton University whose research focuses on photoenzymatic catalysis as a tool for selective chemical synthesis. He has received the Searle Scholar Award, the Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award, the National Fresenius Award, and the BioTRANs junior award for his contributions to the field.

Fangrui Zhong, PhD, is a Professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, where his lab focuses on green biomimetic catalysis and the rational design of artificial enzymes integrating chemical and biological catalysis. He has received the Asian Core Program Lectureship Award, the Singapore National Institute of Chemistry Gold Medal, and the Humboldt Scholarship.