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Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation

Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation

Alkenes undergo reduction by the addition of molecular hydrogen to give alkanes. Because the process generally occurs in the presence of a transition-metal catalyst, the reaction is called catalytic hydrogenation.
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
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Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation

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Catalytic hydrogenation of alkenes is a transition-metal catalyzed reduction of the double bond using molecular hydrogen to give alkanes. The mode of hydrogen addition follows syn stereochemistry.
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...

Reduction of Benzene to Cyclohexane: Catalytic Hydrogenation

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Unlike the easy catalytic hydrogenation of an alkene double bond, hydrogenation of a benzene double bond under similar reaction conditions does not take place easily. For example, in the reduction of stilbene, the benzene ring remains unaffected while the alkene bond gets reduced. Hydrogenation of an alkene double bond is exothermic and a favorable process. In contrast, to hydrogenate the first unsaturated bond of benzene, an energy input is needed; that is, the process is endothermic. This is...

Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation

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Introduction
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.

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Bacterial protein maturation is a tightly regulated process that ensures newly synthesized polypeptides achieve correct functional conformations. This maturation involves a series of modifications, folding events, and quality control steps, often assisted by specialized chaperone proteins.N-Terminal ModificationsThe maturation of bacterial polypeptides begins cotranslationally as the polypeptide exits the ribosome. The first amino acid, N-formylmethionine (fMet), is typically modified at the...

Regioselectivity and Stereochemistry of Acid-Catalyzed Hydration

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The rate of acid-catalyzed hydration of alkenes depends on the alkene's structure, as the presence of alkyl substituents at the double bond can significantly influence the rate.

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Protein Film Infrared Electrochemistry Demonstrated for Study of H2 Oxidation by a [NiFe] Hydrogenase

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Maturation of hydrogenases.

August Böck¹, Paul W King, Melanie Blokesch

¹Department Biology I, University of Munich, 80638 Munich, Germany.

Advances in Microbial Physiology

|November 10, 2006

Summary

Hydrogenases, crucial enzymes for hydrogen oxidation, exhibit complex maturation pathways involving specialized proteins. Recent studies reveal novel biochemical reactions essential for activating these enzymes, particularly [FeFe]- and [NiFe]-hydrogenases.

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Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Enzymology
Molecular Biology

Background:

Three classes of hydrogenases ([FeFe]-, [NiFe]-, and [FeS]-cluster-free) oxidize molecular hydrogen.
These enzymes share active site features, including cyanide (CN) and/or carbon monoxide (CO) ligands at the active site iron.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the complex maturation processes of [FeFe]- and [NiFe]-hydrogenases.
To identify the auxiliary proteins and biochemical reactions involved in hydrogenase activation.

Main Methods:

Analysis of gene co-expression in heterologous hosts.
Investigation of protein-protein interactions and enzymatic activities involved in maturation.
Characterization of novel biochemical pathways for ligand synthesis and protein processing.

Main Results:

Maturation of [FeFe]-hydrogenases requires at least three auxiliary proteins, including Radical-SAM enzymes and GTPases.
[NiFe]-hydrogenase maturation involves at least seven core proteins for CN ligand synthesis, iron coordination, nickel insertion, and proteolytic processing.
Export of membrane-bound hydrogenases utilizes the twin-arginine translocation system.

Conclusions:

Hydrogenase maturation pathways are remarkably complex, involving numerous novel biochemical reactions and auxiliary proteins.
The minimal maturation machinery identified in E. coli may be even more intricate in other organisms.
Understanding these pathways is crucial for harnessing hydrogenase activity in biotechnology and bioenergy.