Molybdenum in enzymatic and heterogeneous catalysis.

ABSTRACT

The chemistry common to molybdenum at the active centers of molybdoenzymes and at the surface of heterogeneous catalysts is described. Oxomolybdenum(VI) compounds catalyze selective oxidation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, e.g., propene to acrolein. Similarly, oxomolybdenum species take part in reactions catalyzed by molybdoenzymes, e.g., xanthine oxidase, sulfite oxidase, nitrate reductase. In these reactions H+, O2- or HO-, and electrons transfer between substrate molecules and molybdenum atoms and groups at the active centres. The chemistry involved is the acid-base and redox chemistry of molybdenum. Molybdenum disulfide catalyzes hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, e.g., acetylene. The active site is a coordinately unsaturated molybdenum atom in a sulfur-ligand environment. The enzyme nitrogenase, which is a protein-bound iron-molybdenum sulfide, is also an excellent hydrogenation catalyst. Both catalysts exploit the chemistry of lower-valent molybdenum coordinated by sulfur. The extent to which understanding of the catalysis can be transferred between the two types of catalyst is assessed.