Mechanism of Nitrogen Reduction to Ammonia in a Diiron Model of Nitrogenase.

ABSTRACT: Nitrogenase is a fascinating enzyme in biology that reduces dinitrogen from air to ammonia through stepwise reduction and protonation. Despite it being studied in detail by experimental and computational groups, there are still many unknown factors in the catalytic cycle of nitrogenase, especially related to the addition of protons and electrons and their order. A recent biomimetic study characterized a potential dinitrogen-bridged diiron cluster as a synthetic model of nitrogenase. Using strong acid and reductants, the dinitrogen was converted into ammonia molecules, but details of the mechanism remains unknown. In particular, it was unclear from the experimental studies whether the proton and electron transfer steps are sequential or alternating. Moreover, the work failed to establish wh

SUBMITTER: Barchenko M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10498488 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature