Nitrogenase - Nonspecific Reactions

Nonspecific Reactions

In addition to performing the reaction N≡N → 2 NH₃, nitrogenase is also capable of catalyzing the following reactions:

HC≡CH → H₂C=CH₂

N–=N+=O → N₂ + H₂O

N=N=N– → N₂ + NH₃

C≡N− → CH₄, NH₃, H₃C–CH₃, H₂C=CH₂ (CH₃NH₂)

N≡C–R → RCH₃ + NH₃

C≡N–R → CH₄, H₃C–CH₃, H₂C=CH₂, C₃H₈, C₃H₆, RNH₂

O=C=S → CO + H₂S

O=C=O → CO + H₂O

S=C=N– → H₂S + HCN

O=C=N– → H₂O + HCN, CO + NH₃

Furthermore, dihydrogen functions as a competitive inhibitor, carbon monoxide functions as a non-competitive inhibitor, and carbon disulfide functions as a rapid-equilibrium inhibitor of nitrogenase.

Vanadium nitrogenases have also been shown to catalzye the conversion of CO into alkanes through a reaction comparable to Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.