Hydrogen: Catalysts for Production and Utilization

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

This award by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program supports the work of Professor D. Michael Heinekey of the University of Washington, to develop models for the active site in methylene-tetrahymethanopterin dehydrogenase (Hmd) and other Fe2 hydrogenase enzymes. The coordination of dihydrogen (H2) and its subsequent activation will be investigated using a unique combination of NMR spectroscopy, isotopic labeling studies, and computational predictions. This research will increase the understanding of catalytic hydrogenations - reactions of great practical importance to the chemical industry. Undergraduate and graduate students will gain a variety of skills studying molecules with novel, highly delocalized structures and dynamic properties.