The development and evaluation of a conducting matrix for the electrochemical regeneration of the immobilised co-factor NAD(H) under continuous flow

Through the preparation of a novel controlled pore glass-poly(pyrrole) material we have developed a conducting support that is not only suitable for the co-immobilisation of enzymes and co-factors, but also enables the facile electrochemical regeneration of the co-factor during a reaction. Employing the selective reduction of (rac)-2-phenylpropionaldehyde to (S)-phenyl-1-propanol as a model, we have demonstrated the successful co-immobilisation of the HLADH enzyme and co-factor NAD(H); with incorporation of the material into a continuous flow reactor facilitating the in situ electrochemical regeneration of NAD(H) for in excess of 100 h. Using this approach we have developed a reagent-less, atom efficient system applicable to the cost-effective, continuous biosynthesis of chiral compounds.