Enzymatically upgrading furfural
(FAL), the crude platform chemical
derived from biomass, to the value-added furfuryl alcohol (FOL) has
attracted considerable interest because of its high conversion and
selectivity. However, the conventional biotransformation of FAL to
FOL was limited by the difficulties in coenzyme regeneration. Herein,
visible light-driven selective hydrogenation of FAL was realized on
the basis of a coupled process that consisted of a photocatalyst and
alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). The QDs/g-C3N4 nanosheet
was prepared in a “one-pot” process using graphitic
carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and carboxyl-modified
quantum dots (QDs) (CdSe/ZnS). The as-prepared material exhibited
synergetically intensified charge generation and transfer properties,
implementing the regeneration of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
(NADH). As expected, the QDs/g-C3N4 exhibits
an equilibrium NADH yield of 95.7%, which was two times higher than
that using g-C3N4. The reusability of the QDs/g-C3N4 was also acceptable. After nine batches of operation,
the conversion rate of NADH was still above 70%. Adopting the nanosheet
in the selective hydrogenation by the photobiocatalytic process could
reach excellent FOL yield (0.6 mM) and selectivity (∼100%).
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