GIST Research Team Successfully Converts Carbon Dioxide to Non-Natural Amino Acids Using Light

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Gwan-woo] Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) announced on the 17th that Professor Hong Seok-won's research team has developed a technology that uses light energy to convert carbon dioxide into non-natural gamma amino acids, a high value-added substance, in an eco-friendly way.

The key raw materials of pharmaceuticals and health foods developed with this technology are mainly used as treatments for central nervous system diseases such as Parkinson's and Huntington's disease, and are expected to be utilized in sustainable carbon source recycling technologies.

Non-natural gamma amino acids are used as bioactive pharmaceutical substances but do not exist in nature, so they can only be obtained through synthesis.

There are various methods to synthesize this substance, but they have drawbacks such as multi-step reactions or relatively high generation of toxicity and waste.

The research team succeeded in selectively obtaining non-natural gamma amino acids with up to 96% yield by dual-functionalizing carbon dioxide and amines to allenes, an organic compound with potential, using a light-responsive iridium catalyst.

Professor Hong Seok-won said, “The synthesized non-natural gamma amino acids are previously unknown substances and have infinite potential to be used as materials for various types of central nervous system disorder treatments through additional processing,” adding, “It is significant that greenhouse gas carbon dioxide can be converted into pharmaceutical candidate substances using visible light.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.