SusChEM: Hydrogen Chemistry of Earth Abundant Metals

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

This award in the Chemical Synthesis (SYN) program in the Division of Chemistry supports a project by Professor Michael Heinekey in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Washington. The project will explore the chemistry of hydrogen. Hydrogen has the potential to become a significant transportation fuel and an important part of our energy infrastructure. Progress in this area has been hindered by the cost and limited supply of platinum and related metals, which are the current materials of choice for catalysis of hydrogen production and utilization. This project will explore the use of less expensive and more abundant metals such as iron, nickel and cobalt. This project will also provide excellent interdisciplinary training of undergraduate and graduate students, including those from groups historically underrepresented in the sciences. It will allow both Professor Heinekey and students to continue to participate in outreach activities directed to the general public. Biomimetic approaches to hydrogen activation will be explored, with inspiration provided by the recently discovered active site structures of hydrogenase enzymes. Model complexes will be prepared with one iron center, two iron centers and iron/nickel pairs, along with appropriate co-ligands, including carbon monoxide and isonitrile ligands. The binding of hydrogen to these complexes will be studied as a model for the oxidized form of the enzyme.Additional studies of hydrogen binding to iron and nickel complexes will be undertaken to elucidate the mechanism of proton transfer from bound hydrogen to various bases. Interconversion of dihydrogen, terminal hydride and bridging hydride ligands will also be investigated as a model for the activation of hydrogen by the hydrogenase enzymes. Hydrogen complexes will also be studied as catalysts for the hydrogenolysis of carbon chlorine bonds in Freons, which may lead to practical processes for recycling of these ozone depleting molecules.