Early attempts at modelling the structure of the iron site in the [NiFe] hydrogenases were explored employing the potassium salt of (η5C5H5)Fe(CN)2CO-. To our surprise, the infrared spectra in the νCO and vCN regions exhibited great similarities between the Fe(CN)2CO fragment in the organometallic complex and the enzyme. Concurrently, we were investigating the nature of the double metal cyanide (DMC) heterogeneous catalysts which were effective for the copolymerization of epoxide and CO2. One of the preferable catalyst precursors is zinc hexacyanoferrate. Utilizing the (η5C5H5)Fe(CN)2CO- and ZnCl2 we were able to structurally model a DMC homogeneous complex which functionally behaved similarly to the heterogeneous catalyst for the coupling of CO2 and epoxides. Recent studies utilizing these heterogeneous DMC catalysts will be discussed.

Hydrogenase/epoxide–CO2 catalysis: Killing two birds with one cat

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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