Research
Photoenzymatic control of phosphorus radicals
Nature · By Manik Sharma ·
The Brief
- Published online in Nature Catalysis on 13 November 2026 (doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01633-5).
- Photoenzymatic catalysis has enabled an increasingly diverse range of asymmetric radical transformations.
- Phosphorus-centred radicals had previously remained beyond the reach of photoenzymatic catalysis; the article reports that engineered enzymes now enable control of them.
Why it matters
It extends photoenzymatic asymmetric radical chemistry to phosphorus-centred radicals, a class previously considered out of reach, which may matter for chemists building chiral phosphorus-containing molecules.
Who’s affected
- synthetic chemists and biocatalysis researchers
- #photoenzymatic catalysis
- #radical chemistry
- #biocatalysis
- #organophosphorus
- #asymmetric synthesis
Nature Catalysis, Published online: 13 November 2026; doi:10.1038/s41929-026-01633-5 Photoenzymatic catalysis has enabled an increasingly diverse range of asymmetric radical transformations, yet phosphorus-centred radicals have remained beyond its reach. Engineered enzymes now…
Timeline
Published online in Nature Catalysis
nature.com
Photoenzymatic control of phosphorus radicals