Catalytic conversion of nitrogen to ammonia by an iron model complex.

ABSTRACT: The reduction of nitrogen (N2) to ammonia (NH3) is a requisite transformation for life. Although it is widely appreciated that the iron-rich cofactors of nitrogenase enzymes facilitate this transformation, how they do so remains poorly understood. A central element of debate has been the exact site or sites of N2 coordination and reduction. In synthetic inorganic chemistry, an early emphasis was placed on molybdenum because it was thought to be an essential element of nitrogenases and because it had been established that well-defined molybdenum model complexes could mediate the stoichiometric conversion of N2 to NH3 (ref. 9). This chemical transformation can be performed in a catalytic fashion by two well-defined molecular systems that feature molybdenum centres. However, it is now thought

SUBMITTER: Anderson JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3882122 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature