Ammonia is produced globally on a massive scale by combining atmospheric nitrogen with hydrogen derived from dwindling supplies of natural gas (The Haber process). Primarily converted into fertilizers to sustain agriculture, ammonia is the crucial form of “fixed” nitrogen necessary to feed the world's needs (109,000,000 metric tons produced worldwide in 2003). However, nitrogen fixation systems that utilize a bulk non-petroleum hydrogen source for the production of ammonia have yet to be successfully designed and characterized by scientists. Chemists are interested in developing model nitrogen fixation systems, particularly since the discovery and structure elucidation of metalloenzymes that produce ammonia in nature under physiological conditions. Very little is known about the mechanism by which these metal containing catalysts convert nitrogen into ammonia. Our research is focused on creating and testing small complexes that mimic the metal active site in the natural nitrogenase enzyme that will convert nitrogen to ammonia using a renewable hydrogen source (eg. water or ethanol). Initial results including chemical synthesis, structural characterization, and nitrogen fixation activity will be discussed.
Back to Inorganic Poster Session - Fri Eve
Back to The 33rd Northeast Regional Meeting (July 14-17, 2005)