Synthetic Models for Bioorganometallic Reaction Centers

Interest in bioorganometallic reaction centers arises from the novelty of the active sites and the remarkable reaction mechanisms of organometallic en2ymes. The field of synthetic bioorganometallic modeling may inspire new approaches to old reactions, e.g. C-H activation, carbonylation, and hydrogenation. Furthermore, the biomimetic approach may show how platinum metal catalysts can be supplanted by base metals, such as Ni and Fe [1], 

It appears that transition metals are central to all biological processes involving H2, CO, N2, and CH4, which are extremely important feedstocks in industry as well. The one exception, metal-free hydrogenases, was in fact, after several years of research, shown to contain Fe and to be inhibited by CO [2]. 

The structures of all Fe-only hydrogenases appear to be similar [12, 13]. Illustrative is the periplasmic enzyme isolated from the sulfate reducing microorganism, Desulfovihrio desuljuricans, a 53 kDa a 3heterodimeric protein the larger subunit (42 kDa) contains the active site [11,14]. 

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J4l 12 Synthetic Models for Bioorganometallic Reaction Centers... 

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