In part as an effort to probe the viability of a single iron site hypothesis for the binding and conversion of N2 to NH3 by nitrogenase enzymes, our group has recently reported a tris(phosphine)borane supported mononuclear Fe system that can stabilize many potentially relevant nitrogenous ligands and ligand motifs, such as N2, N2H4, NH3, NH2, N2R2, N2R, and NR. This system has also been shown to mediate catalytic conversion of N2 to NH3 at low temperature in the presence of strong acid and reductant. More recently we reported a related tris(phosphine)alky supported Fe system that also mediates N2 to NH3 conversion under similar conditions. Common features of these systems that may be critical to the observed nitrogen fixation reactivity include local approximate three-fold rotational symmetry at the metal center as well as a flexible axial interaction to a light atom, either carbon or boron. This paper will describe recent efforts to extend this nitrogen fixation catalysis to novel systems and the elucidation of important factors in achieving this reactivity.

Efforts towards novel catalysts for N<sub>2</sub> reduction to NH<sub>3</sub>

248th National Meeting (2014)

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Efforts towards novel catalysts for N2 reduction to NH3

Efforts towards novel catalysts for N₂ reduction to NH₃