Organometallic Chemistry Control
of Hydrogenases
Marcetta Y. Darensbourg, Erica Lyon Oduaran, Shengda Ding,
Allen M. Lunsford, K. Dilshan Kariyawasam Pathirana,
Pokhraj Ghosh, and Xuemei Yang
Abstract
This chapter provides an abbreviated overview of the discovery, exploration, and
current knowledge of hydrogenase enzymes with particular regard to the
mechanisms of electrocatalytic proton reduction in both the natural enzymes and
synthetic analogues of the active sites. The timeline of key breakthroughs for
defining the enzymes as well as in hydrogenase-inspired biomimetic research
serves as a basis for the discussion.
Keywords
Hydrogenase enzymes Á Microbial metabolism Á Hydrogen evolution reaction Á
Active site structures Á Mechanism Á Models Á Pendant base Á Cofactor Á
Nitrogenase Á Electrocatalysis
1 Prologue
With regard to the purpose of this collection, “Enzymes for Solving Humankind's
Problems”, from observations by careful microbiologists at the time of their discovery the Hydrogenases were known to be integral units in a microbial factory that
was remediating a major pollution problem. Their biochemical and chemical
M. Y. Darensbourg (&) Á S. Ding Á A. M. Lunsford Á K. D. Kariyawasam Pathirana Á
P. Ghosh Á X. Yang
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
e-mail: marcetta@chem.tamu.edu
E. L. Oduaran
Department of Chemistry, Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI, USA
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. J. G. Moura et al. (eds.), Enzymes for Solving Humankind's Problems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58315-6_10
275
of Hydrogenases
Marcetta Y. Darensbourg, Erica Lyon Oduaran, Shengda Ding,
Allen M. Lunsford, K. Dilshan Kariyawasam Pathirana,
Pokhraj Ghosh, and Xuemei Yang
Abstract
This chapter provides an abbreviated overview of the discovery, exploration, and
current knowledge of hydrogenase enzymes with particular regard to the
mechanisms of electrocatalytic proton reduction in both the natural enzymes and
synthetic analogues of the active sites. The timeline of key breakthroughs for
defining the enzymes as well as in hydrogenase-inspired biomimetic research
serves as a basis for the discussion.
Keywords
Hydrogenase enzymes Á Microbial metabolism Á Hydrogen evolution reaction Á
Active site structures Á Mechanism Á Models Á Pendant base Á Cofactor Á
Nitrogenase Á Electrocatalysis
1 Prologue
With regard to the purpose of this collection, “Enzymes for Solving Humankind's
Problems”, from observations by careful microbiologists at the time of their discovery the Hydrogenases were known to be integral units in a microbial factory that
was remediating a major pollution problem. Their biochemical and chemical
M. Y. Darensbourg (&) Á S. Ding Á A. M. Lunsford Á K. D. Kariyawasam Pathirana Á
P. Ghosh Á X. Yang
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
e-mail: marcetta@chem.tamu.edu
E. L. Oduaran
Department of Chemistry, Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI, USA
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. J. G. Moura et al. (eds.), Enzymes for Solving Humankind's Problems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58315-6_10
275