Top Organomet Chem (2020) 66: 243–278
DOI: 10.1007/3418_2020_38
# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Published online: 4 August 2020
Nanocatalysis Meets Biology
Oscar Verho and Jan-E. Bäckvall
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
2 Nano Meets Bio in Organic Synthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
2.1 Dynamic Kinetic Resolution: A Major Driver for the Development
of Nanometal-Enzyme Hybrids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
2.2 The Application of Nanometal-Enzyme Hybrids for Other Organic Transformations . . . 250
2.3 Future Outlook on the Applications of Nanometal-Enzyme Hybrids in Organic
Synthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
3 Bioelectrocatalysis: An Exciting Arena for Nanometal-Enzyme Hybrids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
3.1 Biofuel Cells Based on the Interfacing of Metal Nanoparticles and Enzymes . . . . . . 255
3.2 Outlook on the Future Applications of Enzymatic Biofuel Cells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
4 Harnessing Microbes for Nanoparticle Synthesis . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 262
4.1 Biosynthesized Transition Metal Nanoparticles and Biometallic Whole Cell
Systems in Catalysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
4.2 Future Outlook on Biometallic Whole Cell Catalysts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
5 General Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Abstract This chapter will review the currently available strategies for interfacing
transition metal nanoparticles with enzymes and other more complex biological
systems, as well as the applications of such biometal hybrids in the areas of catalysis,
energy production, environmental remediation, and medicine. In the first part of this
chapter, the focus will be on the many nanometal-enzyme hybrids that have been
developed for applications in organic synthesis. Within the field of organic chemistry, nanometal-enzyme hybrids are often used as bifunctional catalysts to mediate
O. Verho (*)
Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala,
Sweden
e-mail: oscar.verho@su.se
J.-E. Bäckvall (*)
Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
e-mail: jeb@organ.su.se
DOI: 10.1007/3418_2020_38
# Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Published online: 4 August 2020
Nanocatalysis Meets Biology
Oscar Verho and Jan-E. Bäckvall
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
2 Nano Meets Bio in Organic Synthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
2.1 Dynamic Kinetic Resolution: A Major Driver for the Development
of Nanometal-Enzyme Hybrids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
2.2 The Application of Nanometal-Enzyme Hybrids for Other Organic Transformations . . . 250
2.3 Future Outlook on the Applications of Nanometal-Enzyme Hybrids in Organic
Synthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
3 Bioelectrocatalysis: An Exciting Arena for Nanometal-Enzyme Hybrids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
3.1 Biofuel Cells Based on the Interfacing of Metal Nanoparticles and Enzymes . . . . . . 255
3.2 Outlook on the Future Applications of Enzymatic Biofuel Cells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
4 Harnessing Microbes for Nanoparticle Synthesis . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 262
4.1 Biosynthesized Transition Metal Nanoparticles and Biometallic Whole Cell
Systems in Catalysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
4.2 Future Outlook on Biometallic Whole Cell Catalysts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
5 General Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Abstract This chapter will review the currently available strategies for interfacing
transition metal nanoparticles with enzymes and other more complex biological
systems, as well as the applications of such biometal hybrids in the areas of catalysis,
energy production, environmental remediation, and medicine. In the first part of this
chapter, the focus will be on the many nanometal-enzyme hybrids that have been
developed for applications in organic synthesis. Within the field of organic chemistry, nanometal-enzyme hybrids are often used as bifunctional catalysts to mediate
O. Verho (*)
Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala,
Sweden
e-mail: oscar.verho@su.se
J.-E. Bäckvall (*)
Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
e-mail: jeb@organ.su.se