An estimated 100 million tons of atmospheric carbon monoxide (CO) is removed by the soil bacteria Oligotropha carboxidovorans, containing the CO dehydrogenase (CODH) enzyme. The enzyme catalyzes the conversion of CO and water to carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas, which is analogous to the industrial water-gas shift reaction used for hydrogen gas production. The industrial process requires elevated temperatures and pressures, whereas the bacteria can carry out the reaction under ambient conditions. We aim to understand the structure and function of the CODH enzyme and its ability to carry out this reaction. The active site of the enzyme is composed of molybdenum and copper metals via a bridging sulfide, surrounded by additional protein components. We are using computational and experimental techniques to design and synthesize metal complexes similar to this reaction center.

Synthesis of functional catalysts for CO conversion based on Mo-containing CO dehydrogenase

255th National Meeting (2018)

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