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meta-Directing Deactivators: –NO2, –CN, –CHO, –⁠CO2R, –COR, –CO2H01:13

meta-Directing Deactivators: –NO2, –CN, –CHO, –⁠CO2R, –COR, –CO2H

All meta-directing substituents are deactivating groups. These substituents withdraw electrons from the aromatic ring, making the ring less reactive toward electrophilic substitution. For example, the nitration of nitrobenzene is 100,000 times slower than that of benzene because of the deactivating effect of the nitro group. The first step in an electrophilic aromatic substitution is the addition of an electrophile to form a resonance-stabilized carbocation. The energy diagrams for the...
Role of Reduced Coenzymes NADH and FADH₂01:29

Role of Reduced Coenzymes NADH and FADH₂

The energy released from the breakdown of the chemical bonds within nutrients can be stored either through the reduction of electron carriers or in the bonds of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). In living systems, a small class of compounds functions as mobile electron carriers, molecules that bind to and shuttle high-energy electrons between compounds in pathways. The principal electron carriers that will be considered originate from the B vitamin group and are derivatives of nucleotides; they are...
Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation01:22

Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation

Nitrogen is an essential element in biological systems, forming a crucial component of proteins, nucleic acids, and other cellular constituents. Many bacteria and archaea acquire nitrogen in the form of nitrate (NO₃⁻) or ammonia (NH₃), which are then assimilated into biomolecules through specific enzymatic pathways.Assimilatory Nitrate ReductionWhen nitrate enters the cell, it undergoes a two-step reduction process known as assimilatory nitrate reduction. Initially, the enzyme nitrate reductase...
2° Amines to N-Nitrosamines: Reaction with NaNO201:20

2° Amines to N-Nitrosamines: Reaction with NaNO2

Secondary amines react with nitrous acid to form N-nitrosamines, as depicted in Figure 1. Nitrous acid, a weak and unstable acid, is formed in situ from an aqueous solution of sodium nitrite and strong acids, such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, in cold conditions. In the presence of an acid, the nitrous acid gets protonated. The subsequent loss of water results in the formation of the electrophile known as nitrosonium ion.
Carbon-dioxide Fixation01:28

Carbon-dioxide Fixation

Carbon dioxide fixation in prokaryotes enables the assimilation of inorganic carbon into organic molecules, supporting biosynthetic pathways, sustaining ecosystems, and contributing to the global carbon cycle. It also has industrial applications in carbon capture and bioproduct synthesis. Autotrophic organisms rely on this process to utilize CO₂ as a carbon source in diverse environments.The Calvin CycleThe Calvin cycle is the most widespread carbon fixation mechanism, primarily used by...
Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism01:20

Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism

Nitrogen is a very important element for life because it is a major constituent of proteins and nucleic acids. It is a macronutrient, and in nature, it is recycled from organic compounds and stored in the form of  ammonia, ammonium ions, nitrate, nitrite, or  nitrogen gas by many metabolic processes. Many of these metabolic processes are carried out only by prokaryotes.
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this nitrogen...

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Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
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Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

Published on: April 10, 2018

Vanadium nitrogenase reduces CO.

Chi Chung Lee1, Yilin Hu, Markus W Ribbe

  • 1Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3900, USA.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|August 7, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Vanadium nitrogenase converts dinitrogen to ammonia and carbon monoxide to hydrocarbons. This suggests a shared evolutionary and mechanistic link between Earth's carbon and nitrogen cycles.

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Chemical Vapor Deposition of an Organic Magnet, Vanadium Tetracyanoethylene
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Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
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Chemical Vapor Deposition of an Organic Magnet, Vanadium Tetracyanoethylene
08:25

Chemical Vapor Deposition of an Organic Magnet, Vanadium Tetracyanoethylene

Published on: July 3, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Environmental Science
  • Geochemistry

Background:

  • Nitrogenase enzymes are crucial for converting atmospheric dinitrogen into ammonia, a vital process for life.
  • Vanadium-dependent nitrogenase (V-nitrogenase) is a unique variant with a distinct active site.
  • The catalytic capabilities of V-nitrogenase beyond nitrogen reduction are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the reductive capabilities of vanadium nitrogenase beyond its known role in nitrogen fixation.
  • To explore the potential for V-nitrogenase to catalyze the reduction of carbon monoxide.
  • To assess the implications of these findings for understanding the interplay between carbon and nitrogen cycles.

Main Methods:

  • Enzyme assays were performed using purified vanadium nitrogenase.
  • Substrate reduction experiments were conducted with dinitrogen and carbon monoxide under controlled conditions.
  • Product analysis was carried out using gas chromatography.

Main Results:

  • Vanadium nitrogenase efficiently reduced dinitrogen to ammonia.
  • The enzyme also catalyzed the reduction of carbon monoxide to ethylene, ethane, and propane.
  • The observed hydrocarbon products indicate a complex reductive pathway.

Conclusions:

  • Vanadium nitrogenase possesses a broader substrate range than previously recognized, including carbon monoxide reduction.
  • The dual functionality in reducing both N2 and CO suggests a potential mechanistic and evolutionary connection between nitrogen and carbon cycles.
  • This finding opens new avenues for exploring bio-inspired catalysis and early Earth biogeochemical processes.