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Related Concept Videos

Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation02:13

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.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the surface of...
Hydrogen Bonds00:26

Hydrogen Bonds

Hydrogen bonds are weak attractions between atoms that have formed other chemical bonds. One of these atoms is electronegative, like oxygen, and has a partial negative charge. The other is a hydrogen atom that has bonded with another electronegative atom and has a partial positive charge.
Hydrogen Bonds Control the World!
Because hydrogen has very weak electronegativity when it binds with a strongly electronegative atom, such as oxygen or nitrogen, electrons in the bond are unequally shared.
Hydrogen Bonds01:04

Hydrogen Bonds

A hydrogen bond is formed when a weakly positive hydrogen atom already bonded to one electronegative atom (for example, the oxygen in the water molecule) is attracted to another electronegative atom from another polar molecule, such as water (H2O), hydrogen fluoride (HF), or ammonia (NH3). The huge electronegativity difference between the H atom (2.1) and the atom to which it is bonded (4.0 for an F atom, 3.5 for an O atom, or 3.0 for an N atom), combined with the very small size of an H atom...
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation02:17

Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation

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 Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation02:24

Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation

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.
Reduction of Benzene to Cyclohexane: Catalytic Hydrogenation01:28

Reduction of Benzene to Cyclohexane: Catalytic Hydrogenation

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 15, 2026

Protein Film Infrared Electrochemistry Demonstrated for Study of H2 Oxidation by a [NiFe] Hydrogenase
10:01

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

Published on: December 4, 2017

Studies on hydrogenase.

Tatsuhiko Yagi1, Yoshiki Higuchi

  • 1Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan. asarlun@kitty.jp

Proceedings of the Japan Academy. Series B, Physical and Biological Sciences
|January 16, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Hydrogenases are microbial enzymes that produce and consume hydrogen (H2). Structural and spectroscopic studies reveal the catalytic mechanism of [NiFe]-hydrogenase, explaining its role in hydrogen metabolism.

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Analyzing Protein Dynamics Using Hydrogen Exchange Mass Spectrometry
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Quantification of Hydrogen Concentrations in Surface and Interface Layers and Bulk Materials through Depth Profiling with Nuclear Reaction Analysis

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 15, 2026

Protein Film Infrared Electrochemistry Demonstrated for Study of H2 Oxidation by a [NiFe] Hydrogenase
10:01

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

Published on: December 4, 2017

Analyzing Protein Dynamics Using Hydrogen Exchange Mass Spectrometry
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Analyzing Protein Dynamics Using Hydrogen Exchange Mass Spectrometry

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Quantification of Hydrogen Concentrations in Surface and Interface Layers and Bulk Materials through Depth Profiling with Nuclear Reaction Analysis
14:11

Quantification of Hydrogen Concentrations in Surface and Interface Layers and Bulk Materials through Depth Profiling with Nuclear Reaction Analysis

Published on: March 29, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Enzymology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Hydrogenases are crucial microbial enzymes catalyzing hydrogen (H2) production and uptake.
  • They are classified into families like [NiFe], [FeFe], and [Fe] based on active site metal composition.
  • H2 is cleaved heterolytically by the enzyme, forming EH(a)H(b).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the catalytic mechanism of [NiFe]-hydrogenase.
  • To understand the roles of enzyme structure and redox states in hydrogen metabolism.

Main Methods:

  • X-ray crystallography for 3D structure determination.
  • Spectroscopic techniques (EPR, FTIR) for characterizing redox states.
  • Kinetic and isotopic exchange studies.

Main Results:

  • The 3D structures of hydrogenases were determined.
  • [NiFe]-hydrogenase, a heterodimer, features a Ni-Fe center and iron-sulfur clusters for electron transfer.
  • Catalytic mechanisms for H2-uptake, H2-production, and isotopic exchange were proposed.

Conclusions:

  • Structural and spectroscopic data provide insights into hydrogenase function.
  • The proposed mechanism explains the enzyme's role in biological hydrogen transformations.
  • Further studies on hydrogenase mechanisms can inform biotechnological applications.