Influence of the [2Fe]HSubcluster Environment on the Properties of Key Intermediates in the Catalytic Cycle of [FeFe] Hydrogenases: Hints for the Rational Design of Synthetic Catalysts

Nature's recipe: A theoretical study analyzes how the environment of the [FeFe] hydrogenase's catalytic cofactor affects its chemical properties, particularly the relative stability of complexes with bridging and terminal hydride ligands (see picture; Fe teal, S yellow, C green, N blue, O red, H gray). The results help to elucidate key rules for the design of bioinspired synthetic catalysts for H2 production. © 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.