Abstract

The synthesis of analogues of the active sites of the hydrogenases [1-3] may presage the design of new materials for hydrogen production, storage and utilisation in fuel cells or catalysis viz. replacing platinum or other precious metals [4-6]. Emerging synthetic, structural and mechanistic chemistry, together with studies of surface modification, electrochemistry and photoelectrochemistry and will be addressed.

References 1. Structural and Functional Analogues of the Active Sites of the [Fe], [NiFe], and [FeFe]-Hydrogenases. Tard C, Pickett CJ. Chem.Rev., 2009, 109 , 2245-2274 2. Synthesis of the H-Cluster Framework of Iron-Only Hydrogenase. C. Tard, X. Liu, S.K. Ibrahim, M. Bruschi, L. De Gioia, S.C. Davies, X.Yang, L-S. Wang, G. Sawers and C.J. Pickett Nature, 2005, 434, 610-613. 3. The third hydrogenase: a ferracyclic carbamoyl with close structural analogy to the active site of Hmd. P. J. Turrell, J. A. Wright, J. N. T. Peck, V. S. Oganesyan and C. J. Pickett, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2010, 49, 7508-7511 4. Modeling [Fe-Fe] Hydrogenase: Evidence for Bridging Carbonyl and Distal Iron Coordination Vacancy in an Electrocatalytically Competent Proton Reduction by an Iron Thiolate Assembly That Operates through Fe(0)-Fe(II) Levels. M .H. Cheah, C.Tard, S.J. Borg, X. Liu, S.K. Ibrahim , C.J. Pickett and S.P. Best J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2007 129 11085 -11092. 5. Artificial hydrogenases: assembly of an H-cluster analogue within a functionalised poly(pyrrole) matrix.S .K.Ibrahim, P-M. Woi, Y Alias and C.J.Pickett, Chem. Commun., 2010, 46, 8149 – 8191 6. Electropolymeric materials incorporating subsite structures related to iron-only hydrogenase: active ester functionalised poly(pyrroles) for covalent binding of {2Fe3S}-carbonyl/cyanide assemblies. S. K. Ibrahim, X. Liu, C .Tard and C. J. Pickett Chem Commun, 2007, 1535.