Water-Soluble Anthraquinone Photocatalysts Enable Methanol-Driven Enzymatic Halogenation and Hydroxylation Reactions.

Peroxyzymes simply use HO as a cosubstrate to oxidize a broad range of inert C-H bonds. The lability of many peroxyzymes against HO can be addressed by a controlled supply of HO, ideally in situ. Here, we report a simple, robust, and water-soluble anthraquinone sulfonate (SAS) as a promising organophotocatalyst to drive both haloperoxidase-catalyzed halogenation and peroxygenase-catalyzed oxyfunctionalization reactions. Simple alcohols, methanol in particular, can be used both as a cosolvent and an electron donor for HO generation. Very promising turnover numbers for the biocatalysts of up to 318 000 have been achieved.