We demonstrate a recycling system for synthetic nicotinamide cofactor analogues using a soluble hydrogenase with turnover number of >1000 for reduction of the cofactor analogues by H2. Coupling this system to an ene reductase, we show quantitative conversion of N-ethylmaleimide to N-ethylsuccinimide. The biocatalyst system retained >50% activity after 7 h.@en