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Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Developing Photosensitizer-Cobaloxime Hybrids for Solar-Driven H2 Production in Aqueous Aerobic Conditions
Published on: October 5, 2019
Artificial hydrogenases
Bryan E Barton1, Matthew T Olsen, Thomas B Rauchfuss
1School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States.
Abstract:
Decades of biophysical study on the hydrogenase (H(2)ase) enzymes have yielded sufficient information to guide the synthesis of analogs of their active sites. Three families of enzymes serve as inspiration for this work: the [FeFe]-H(2)ases, [NiFe]-H(2)ases, and [Fe]-H(2)ases, all of which feature iron centers bound to both CO and thiolate. Artificial H(2)ases affect the oxidation of H(2) and the reverse reaction, the reduction of protons. These reactions occur via the intermediacy of metal hydrides. The inclusion of amine bases within the catalysts is an important design feature that is emulated in related bioinspired catalysts. Continuing challenges are the low reactivity of H(2) toward biomimetic H(2)ases.
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