Hemoglobin-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers: Synthesis and applications for carbene N–H insertion reaction

Abstract

Hemoglobin (Hb) is a hemoprotein containing iron porphyrin, which can catalyse a variety of unnatural reactions. Due to its poor reusability and stability, in this study, we developed a new method to prepare Hb-Cu₃(PO₄)₂ hybrid nanoflowers (HNFs) by co-incubating Hb with Cu²⁺. This immobilized Hb was used to catalyse the synthesis of ethyl N-phenylglycinate via the carbene N–H insertion reaction. Under the optimum reaction conditions (aniline 1 mmol; ethyl diazoacetate 1 mmol; deionized (DI) water 10 ml; catalyst (protein content: 15 mg); sodium hydrosulfite 25 mg; 25 °C; 12 h), the catalytic yield of Hb-Cu₃(PO₄)₂ HNFs reached as high as 87% and that of free Hb was 74%. In addition, Hb-Cu₃(PO₄)₂ HNFs can maintain a high catalytic performance after 15 cycles and still achieve yields close to 70% of the initial yield after 60 days of storage, indicating that Hb-Cu₃(PO₄)₂ HNFs have a high potential for application in Hb-catalysed organic reactions.

Keywords:

• Hemoprotein
• hemoglobin
• Hb-Cu₃(PO₄)₂ HNFs
• carbene N–H insertion reaction

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the Science and Technology Development Program of Jilin Province.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

We gratefully acknowledge the Science and Technology Development Program of Jilin Province (No. 20230101135JC and No. 2023020432YY).