Acetyl-cobalamin from Photoinduced Carbonylation of Methyl-cobalamin

Irradiation with visible light of a deoxygenated aqueous solution of methyl-cobalamin ( 1 ) under an atmosphere of CO and at ambient temperature converts 1 into acetyl-cobalamin ( 2 ). This carbonylation has potential relevance with respect to bacterial acetate biosynthesis from CO₂.