PhD defence F.F. (Fayza) Özgen

Challenge accepted: harnessing the power of light to drive photobiocatalytic reactions

Light is considered an ideal energy source in the sustainable synthesis of organic compounds as it is non-toxic, generates no waste, and can be derived from renewable sources. Photobiocatalysis is a sustainable approach that combines light-driven electron supply with functional enzymatic transformations for the production of valuable compounds, thus opening new perspectives to the forefront of synthetic chemistry. Despite numerous exciting developments in this field, photobiocatalysis is still in its early stage and faces significant hurdles; hence the generation of efficient light-driven chemical processes requires a multidisciplinary effort at several fronts. In the thesis of Feyza Özgen, several photo(bio)catalytic strategies were developed and explored for bringing together light-driven reactions with selective enzymatic transformations and to gain detailed insights into the bimolecular processes that govern the synergy between the two catalytic processes.

Promotors: Prof.dr. G.J. Poelarends and Prof.dr. R. Kourist