Multiple proton-coupled electron transfer for electrochemical generation of fuels.
Dr. Frank Hollmann
Department of Biotechnology
Delft University of Technology
Nature is simply the best chemist. Over billions of years, life has developed myriads of synthetic strategies and catalysts to meet the challenges faced in the race for survival. From a chemical point-of-view, nature offers an enormous toolbox to address today’s synthetic challenges. Specific oxyfunctionalisation of non-activated C-H-bonds, for example, is possible using enzymes. Hence, biocatalysis offers shorter and environmentally more benign synthesis routes than available using ‘traditional chemistry’. Interestingly enough, many of the seemingly new catalysts and reactions have been known for decades but have not been taken into account by organic chemists. The increasing societal and scientific awareness for environmental issues fosters the current renaissance of biocatalysis in organic synthesis. This presentation will highlight some of the most interesting recent developments and discuss their scope and current limitations.
Frank Hollmann studies Chemistry at the University of Bonn (Germany). He did his PhD research at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Zurich, Switzerland) in the field of bioelectrochemistry. After a postdoctoral stay at the Max-Planck Institute for Coal research (Mulheim, Germany) he joined the Care and Surface Specialities business unit of Goldschmidt (now Evonik) as R&D manager Biocatalysis. In 2008 he joined the Biocatalysis group of the Department of Biotechnology at the Delft University of technology (Delft, The Netherlands) where he currently works as Associate Professor. Frank’s research interest focus around the use of enzymes for a more sustainable chemical industry. In particular he is interested in specific oxyfunctionalisation chemistry using peroxygenases.