Metal Clusters in Catalysis
Although few metal carbonyl clusters are catalytically useful, naturally occurring Iron-sulfur proteins catalyse a variety of transformations such as the stereo-specific isomerization of citrate to isocitrate via cis-aconitate, as required by the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Nitrogen is reduced to ammonia at an Fe-Mo-S cluster at the heart of the enzyme nitrogenase. CO is oxidized to CO2 by the Fe-Ni-S cluster carbon monoxide dehydrogenase. Hydrogenases rely on Fe2 and NiFe clusters. Isoprenoid biosynthesis, at least in certain organisms, requires Fe-S clusters.
Read more about this topic: Cluster Chemistry
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