Tandem catalytic transformation of linear alkanes to high value aldehydes using Cytochrome P450 enzymes and biofabricated Palladium-Gold nanocatalysts
The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of converting alkanes to aldehydes using two separate reaction vessels through the successful integration of the activation and valorisation stages, using n-octane as the model substrate. Bioactivation via whole cell CYP153A6 enzyme catalysis was adopted for the activation step and biofabricated palladium-gold nanocatalysts for the valorisation step.
Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes are distinguished for their ability to catalyse alkane reactions with high specificity and selectivity (> 95 %). The data presents results affirming the unmatched capability of the CYP153A6 enzyme to terminally activate n-octane with 1-octanol product selectivity reaching as high as 97 % at near ambient conditions.
The data also includes results for the synthesis of two monometallic catalysts comprised of either 5 wt% Pd, or 5 wt% Au, and a bimetallic catalyst containing 2.5 wt% Pd and 2.5 wt% Au biofabricated using Escherichia coli (E. coli) MC4100 in a two-step biosorption and bioreduction process, as well as characterisation of the nanocatalysts using electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, ICP-OES multi-element analyses.
The catalytic activity of the nanocatalysts were tested using oxidation reactions of benzyl alcohol and 1-octanol in two different oxidants, with and without neutral solvent, before proceeding to oxidation reactions of 1-octanol. The versatility of the biofabricated nanocatalysts in C-C and C-H bond transformations was also tested using the n-octane activation reaction.
The CYP-catalysed activation of n-octane was subsequently repeated in the presence of the bimetallic Pd/Au catalyst (chemo-catalyst) to test the biocompatibility of the biocatalyst and chemocatalyst in a first known attempt at tandem catalysis to both activate and valorise n-alkane in a one-pot system. The data results show that there is potential in using CYP enzymes in tandem with a biofabricated Pd/Au nanocatalyst for the transformation of aliphatic hydrocarbons to aldehydes.
