Proton reduction to hydrogen in biological and chemical systems

Abstract

In the drive to devise catalytic systems to convert solar energy into the energy of chemical bonds, chemists and electrochemists are seeking inspiration from our understanding of enzymes involved in bioenergetics. This is particularly true for generating molecular hydrogen from high energy electrons derived from solar driven water splitting. In this case the natural enzymes are the [NiFe]- and [FeFe]-hydrogenases. In this article we review our present understanding of the structure and mechanistic functioning of these enzymes and how they are providing a blue print to the design and understanding of the mechanism of a variety of synthesized catalysts for proton reduction chemistry.

Nickel Complexes of Pyridine‐Functionalized N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes: Syntheses, Structures, and Activity in Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Production

“…Dihydrogen is an environmentally friendly energy carrier as upon combustion it only produces H 2 O, In order to enable the establishment of a society based on dihydogen as an energy source, for many years researchers have focused on the search for efficient proton‐reduction catalysts, notably for catalysts that are not based on noble metals . In the field of bioinorganic chemistry the synthesis of structural models of hydrogenases is a common strategy to devise molecular catalysts for proton reduction , .…”

Origin of hydrogen evolution activity on MS2 (M = Mo or Nb) monolayers

“…1 The growing interest in HER catalysis comes from the ongoing pursuit of hydrogen as a future energy carrier. 1,2 Design and exploration of low cost and highly active HER catalysts to replace Pt-group metals are becoming a subject of fundamental interest.…”

“…1 The growing interest in HER catalysis comes from the ongoing pursuit of hydrogen as a future energy carrier. 1,2 Design and exploration of low cost and highly active HER catalysts to replace Pt-group metals are becoming a subject of fundamental interest. 3,4 The lamellar transition-metal disulfides (TMDs) MS 2 , where M is a transition-metal element of group IV, V or VI, have been attracting increasing interest in the applications of electrolysis of water because of their potential catalytic activity and abundance in the earth.…”

The Fuel Cell Model of Abiogenesis: A New Approach to Origin-of-Life Simulations

“…In fact, recognition of this similarity within the fuel cell community has seen microbes, their redox-active enzymes, and even mitochondria themselves, being successfully used as components of electrodes for biofuel cells due to their excellent catalytic ability to transfer electrons and promote environmentally significant redox reactions (Arnold and Rechnitz, 1980;Heller, 1992;Chang et al, 2006;Arechederra and Minteer, 2008;Tran and Barber, 2012;. Certain geochemical environments also constitute fuel-cell-like systems, for example, at hydrothermal vents where electrical and pH potentials are generated at the interface between reduced hydrothermal fluid and oxidizing seawater (Yamamoto et al 2013;Hall 1997, 2006;Baross and Hoffman 1985;Martin and Russell 2007).…”