Biohybrid DNA noble metal clusters as sensory photocatalysts in the synthesis of high-purity drug precursors

Due to the growing global population and the human medical and geopolitical crises of the current decade, it is becoming very clear how important a stable and adaptable supply of medicines is. Pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and fine chemical synthesis research and the manufacturing industry must face these challenges and manage the vital transition from a destructive linear industry to a sustainable circular one. A key element in this is chemical catalysis research, which must focus on the use of biological building blocks as components for biohybrid catalysts in order to move away from the cost-intensive and environmentally unfriendly production and use of purely artificial catalysts of the past hundred years. 

The DNAKAT project addresses this challenge by combining the intrinsic chirality of DNA as an individualizable biopolymer with highly reactive precious metals, such as gold, silver, platinum, or palladium, and using it for stereoselective synthesis, which is essential for the production of active ingredients with the correct pharmacological effect.

In this project, Fraunhofer IMM and Fraunhofer IME are aiming to develop customized DNA-precious metal clusters (DNA-EMC) that will serve as sensory photocatalysts for the stereoselective synthesis of drug precursors. The approach utilizes the intrinsic chirality of DNA and combines it with highly reactive precious metals to enable efficient and sustainable catalysis. The work includes the specification of DNA-EMC, their synthesis, and the performance of benchmark reactions.

The project aims to investigate a novel catalytic process as a "dual-use" approach in which product formation and quality can be easily determined directly during the catalytic conversion using photonic measurement methods. This is achieved by simultaneously utilizing DNA-EMC as chiral photocatalysts in conjunction with their sensory properties to spectroscopically evaluate the catalytic process qualitatively and quantitatively directly at the site of action.

Fraunhofer IME is responsible for the synthesis and provision of tailor-made DNA noble metal clusters (DNA-EMC), their characterization, and testing the effectiveness and efficiency of DNA-EMC as sensory photocatalysts.