Via hydrogenases

L.R. (2009) Identification of the [FeFe]-hydrogenase responsible for hydrogen generation in Thermoanaerohacterium saccharolyticum and demonstration of increased ethanol yield via hydrogenase knockout. /. BacterioL, 191, 6457—6464. 

In the same year, Evans and coworkers reported the electrochemical reduction of protons to H2 catalyzed by the sulfur-bridged dinuclear iron complex 25 as a hydrogenase mimic in which acetic acid was used as a proton source [201]. The proposed mechanism for this reaction is shown in Scheme 60. The reduction of 25 readily affords 25 via a one electron reduction product 25. Protonation... 

Chiang and coworkers synthesized a dimer of compound 26 in which two diiron subunits are linked by two azadithiolate ligands as a model of the active site for the [FeFeJ-hydrogenase [203]. Protonation of 26 afforded the p-hydride complex [26-2H 2H ] via the initially protonated spieces [26-2H ] (Scheme 62). These three complexes were also characterized by the X-ray diffraction analyses. H2-generation was observed by electrochemical reduction of protons catalyzed by 26 in the presence of HBF4 as a proton source. It was experimentally ascertained that [26-2H 2H ] was converted into 26 by four irreversible reduction steps in the absence of HBF4. 

The proposed mechanism of H2 evolution by a model of [FeFeJ-hydrogenases based upon DFT calculations [204-206] and a hybrid quanmm mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) investigation is summarized in Scheme 63 [207]. Complex I is converted into II by both protonation and reduction. Migration of the proton on the N atom to the Fe center in II produces the hydride complex III, and then protonation affords IV. In the next step, two pathways are conceivable. One is that the molecular hydrogen complex VI is synthesized by proton transfer and subsequent reduction (Path a). The other proposed by De Gioia, Ryde, and coworkers [207] is that the reduction of IV affords VI via the terminal hydride complex V (Path b). Dehydrogenation from VI regenerates I. 

Figure 2.10 Schematic structures of (a) sulfite reductase of Escherichia coli in which a 4Fe-4S cluster is linked via a cysteine to the iron in a sirohaem (b) P cluster of nitrogenase (c) FeMoCo cluster of nitrogenase (d) the binuclear site in Desulforibrio gigas hydrogenase.

Knowledge of the active site allows for speculation on the mechanism of H2-D20 exchange which these Fe4 systems catalyze 473,483). Ruthe-nium(III) systems catalyze such an exchange via a ruthenium(III) hydride intermediate (7, p. 73 Section II,A), as exemplified in reactions (82) and (83), and iron hydrides must be involved in the hydrogenase systems. Ruthenium(III) also catalyzes the H2 reduction of ruthenium(IV) via reaction (82), followed by reaction (84) (3), and using these ruthenium systems as models, a very tentative scheme has been proposed 473) for... 

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