Nitrogen is fundamental to all of life and many industrial processes. The interchange of nitrogen oxidation states in the industrial production of ammonia, nitric acid, and other commodity chemicals is largely powered by fossil fuels. A key goal of contemporary research in the field of nitrogen chemistry is to minimize the use of fossil fuels by developing more efficient heterogeneous, homogeneous, photo-, and electrocatalytic processes or by adapting the enzymatic processes underlying the natural nitrogen cycle. These approaches, as well as the challenges involved, are discussed in this Review.

As functional biomimics of the hydrogen-producing capability of the dinuclear active site in [Fe]H(2)ase, the Fe(I)Fe(I) organometallic complexes, (mu-pdt)[Fe(CO)(2)PTA](2), 1-PTA(2), (pdt = SCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)S; PTA = 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane), and (mu-pdt)[Fe(CO)(3)][Fe(CO)(2)PTA], 1-PTA, were synthesized and fully characterized. For comparison to the hydrophobic (mu-pdt)[Fe(CO)(2)(PMe(3))](2) and [(mu-H)(mu-pdt)[Fe(CO)(2)(PMe(3))](2)](+) analogues, electrochemical responses of 1-PTA(2) and 1-(PTA.H(+))(2) were recorded in acetonitrile and in acetonitrile/water mixtures in the absence and presence of acetic acid. The production of H(2) and the dependence of current on acid concentration indicated that the complexes were solution electrocatalysts that decreased over-voltage for H(+) reduction from HOAc in CH(3)CN by up to 600 mV. The most effective electrocatalyst is the asymmetric 1-PTA species, which promotes H(2) formation from HOAc (pK(a) in CH(3)CN = 22.6) at -1.4 V in CH(3)CN/H(2)O mixtures at the Fe(0)Fe(I) redox level. Functionalization of the PTA ligand via N-protonation or N-methylation, generating (mu-pdt)[Fe(CO)(2)(PTA-H(+))](2), 1-(PTA.H(+))(2), and (mu-pdt)[Fe(CO)(2)(PTA-CH(3)(+))](2), 1-(PTA-Me(+))(2), provided no obvious advantages for the electrocatalysis because in both cases the parent complex is reclaimed during one cycle under the electrochemical conditions and H(2) production catalysis develops from the neutral species. The order of proton/electron addition to the catalyst, i.e., the electrochemical mechanism, is dependent on the extent of P-donor ligand substitution and on the acid strength. Cyclic voltammetric curve-crossing phenomena was observed and analyzed in terms of the possible presence of an eta(2)-H(2)-Fe(II)Fe(I) species, derived from reduction of the Fe(I)Fe(I) parent complex to Fe(0)Fe(I) followed by uptake of two protons in an ECCE mechanism.

A series of binuclear Fe I Fe I complexes, (µ-SEt) 2 [Fe(CO) 2 L] 2 (L = CO (1), PMe 4), PMe 3 (4-P)), that serve as structural models for the active site of Fe-hydrogenase are shown to be electrocatalysts for H 2 production in the presence of acetic acid in acetonitrile. The redox levels for H 2 production were established by spectroelectrochemistry to be Fe 0 Fe 0 for the all-CO complexes and Fe I Fe 0 for the PMe 3 -substituted derivatives. As electrocatalysts, the PMe 3 derivatives are more stable and more sensitive to acid concentration than the all-CO complexes. The electrocatalysis is initiated by electrochemical reduction of these diiron complexes, which subsequently, under weak acid conditions, undergo protonation of the reduced iron center to produce H 2 . An (η 2 -H 2 )Fe II -Fe 0/I intermediate is suggested and probable electrochemical mechanisms are discussed.

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Protonation of the [Fe]-hydrogenase model complex (mu-pdt)[Fe(CO)(2)(PMe(3))](2) (pdt = SCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)S) produces a species with a high field (1)H NMR resonance, isolated as the stable [(mu-H)(mu-pdt)[Fe(CO)(2)(PMe(3))](2)](+)[PF(6)](-) salt. Structural characterization found little difference in the 2Fe2S butterfly cores, with Fe.Fe distances of 2.555(2) and 2.578(1) A for the Fe-Fe bonded neutral species and the bridging hydride species, respectively (Zhao, X.; Georgakaki, I. P.; Miller, M. L.; Yarbrough, J. C.; Darensbourg, M. Y. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 9710). Both are similar to the average Fe.Fe distance found in structures of three Fe-only hydrogenase active site 2Fe2S clusters: 2.6 A. A series of similar complexes (mu-edt)-, (mu-o-xyldt)-, and (mu-SEt)(2)[Fe(CO)(2)(PMe(3))](2) (edt = SCH(2)CH(2)S; o-xyldt = SCH(2)C(6)H(4)CH(2)S), (mu-pdt)[Fe(CO)(2)(PMe(2)Ph)](2), and their protonated derivatives likewise show uniformity in the Fe-Fe bond lengths of the neutral complexes and Fe.Fe distances in the cationic bridging hydrides. The positions of the PMe(3) and PMe(2)Ph ligands are dictated by the orientation of the S-C bonds in the (mu-SRS) or (mu-SR)(2) bridges and the subsequent steric hindrance of R. The Fe(II)(mu-H)Fe(II) complexes were compared for their ability to facilitate H/D exchange reactions, as have been used as assays of H(2)ase activity. In a reaction that is promoted by light but inhibited by CO, the [(mu-H)(mu-pdt)[Fe(CO)(2)(PMe(3))](2)](+) complex shows H/D exchange activity with D(2), producing [(mu-D)(mu-pdt)[Fe(CO)(2)(PMe(3))](2)](+) in CH(2)Cl(2) and in acetone, but not in CH(3)CN. In the presence of light, H/D scrambling between D(2)O and H(2) is also promoted by the Fe(II)(mu-H)Fe(II) catalyst. The requirement of an open site suggests that the key step in the reactions involves D(2) or H(2) binding to Fe(II) followed by deprotonation by the internal hydride base, or by external water. As indicated by similar catalytic efficiencies of members of the series, the nature of the bridging thiolates has little influence on the reactions. Comparison to [Fe]H(2)ase enzyme active site redox levels suggests that at least one Fe(II) must be available for H(2) uptake while a reduced or an electron-rich Fe(I)Fe(I) metal-metal bonded redox level is required for proton uptake.

A series of dinuclear complexes, (mu-SRS)Fe(2)(CO)(6) (R = -CH(2)CH(2)-, -CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)-, -CH(2)-C(6)H(4)-CH(2)-; edt, pdt, and o-xyldt, respectively) has been examined for specific characteristics that might relate to structural similarity with the active site of Fe-only hydrogenases. Variable-temperature proton NMR studies display the fluxionality of the iron-dithiocyclohexane unit in (mu-pdt)Fe(2)(CO)(6) while in the (mu-o-xyldt)Fe(2)(CO)(6) compound, the bridge is fixed. Temperature-dependent (13)C NMR spectral studies establish intramolecular CO site exchange localized on discrete Fe(CO)(3) units in all complexes, which is influenced by steric effects of the mu-SRS unit. Kinetic studies of intermolecular CO/CN(-) ligand-exchange reactions establish associative or I(a) mechanisms in sequential steps to form the dicyano dianion, (mu-SRS)[Fe(CO)(2)(CN)](2)(=) with 100% selectivity. Theoretical calculations (DFT) of transition states in the intramolecular site-exchange processes lead to a rationale for the interesting cooperativity in the CN(-)/CO intermolecular ligand-exchange process. The hinge motion of the three light atom S-to-S bridge is related to a possible heterolytic H(2) activation/production process in the enzyme.

The Fe(I) organometallic complex [(µ-SCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)S)Fe(2)(CO)(6)] provides a structural model for the cyano-carbonyl diiron site of Fe-only hydrogenase as characterized by X-ray crystallography (the picture shows the structure (black) of the model overlaid with that of the Fe-Fe dimetallic site in the hydrogenase isolated from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans). Cyanide substitution of CO occurs readily and provides spectroscopic references for the active site.