Enhanced Ammonia Oxidation Catalysis by a Low-Spin Iron Complex Featuring Cis Coordination Sites

The goal of using ammonia as a solar fuel motivates the development of selective ammonia oxidation (AO) catalysts for fuel cell applications. Herein, we describe Fe-mediated AO electrocatalysis with [(bpyPy₂Me)Fe(MeCN)₂]²⁺, exhibiting the highest turnover number (TON) reported to date for a molecular system. To improve on our recent report of a related iron AO electrocatalyst, [(TPA)Fe(MeCN)₂]²⁺ (TON of 16), the present [(bpyPy₂Me)Fe(MeCN)₂]²⁺ system (TON of 149) features a stronger-field, more rigid auxiliary ligand that maintains cis-labile sites and a dominant low-spin population at the Fe(II) state. The latter is posited to mitigate demetalation and hence catalyst degradation by the presence of a large excess of ammonia under the catalytic conditions. Additionally, the [(bpyPy₂Me)Fe(MeCN)₂]²⁺ system exhibits a substantially faster AO rate (ca. 50×) at significantly lower (∼250 mV) applied bias compared to [(TPA)Fe(MeCN)₂]²⁺. Electrochemical data are consistent with an initial E₁ net H-atom abstraction step that furnishes the cis amide/ammine complex [(bpyPy₂Me)Fe(NH₂)(NH₃)]²⁺, followed by the onset of catalysis at E₂. Theoretical calculations suggest the possibility of N–N bond formation via multiple thermodynamically plausible pathways, including both reductive elimination and ammonia nucleophilic attack. In sum, this study underscores that Fe, an earth-abundant metal, is a promising metal for further development in metal-mediated AO catalysis by molecular systems

Electrocatalytic Ammonia Oxidation Mediated by a Polypyridyl Iron Catalyst

Electrocatalytic ammonia oxidation (AO) mediated by iron(II) tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) bis-ammine triflate, [(TPA)Fe(NH₃)₂]OTf₂, is reported. Interest in (electro)catalytic AO is growing rapidly, and this report adds a first-row transition metal (iron) complex to the known Ru catalysts recently reported. The featured system is well behaved and has been studied in detail by electrochemical methods. Cyclic voltammetry experiments in the presence of ammonia indicate an onset potential corresponding to ammonia oxidation at 0.7 V vs Fc/Fc⁺. Controlled potential coulometry (CPC) at an applied bias of 1.1 V confirms the generation of 16 equiv of N₂ with a Faradaic efficiency for N₂ of ∼80%. Employing ¹⁵NH₃ yields exclusively ³⁰N₂, demonstrating the conversion of ammonia to N₂. A suite of electrochemical studies is consistent with an initial EC step that generates an Fe^(III)–NH₂ intermediate (at 0.4 V) followed by an anodically shifted catalytic wave. The data indicate a rate-determining step that is first order in both [Fe] and [NH₃] and point to a fast catalytic rate (k_(obs)) of ∼10⁷ M⁻¹·s⁻¹ as computed by foot of the wave analysis (FOWA)

Electrocatalytic Ammonia Oxidation Mediated by a Polypyridyl Iron Catalyst

Electrocatalytic ammonia oxidation (AO) mediated by iron(II) tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) bis-ammine triflate, [(TPA)Fe(NH₃)₂]OTf₂, is reported. Interest in (electro)catalytic AO is growing rapidly, and this report adds a first-row transition metal (iron) complex to the known Ru catalysts recently reported. The featured system is well behaved and has been studied in detail by electrochemical methods. Cyclic voltammetry experiments in the presence of ammonia indicate an onset potential corresponding to ammonia oxidation at 0.7 V vs Fc/Fc⁺. Controlled potential coulometry (CPC) at an applied bias of 1.1 V confirms the generation of 16 equiv of N₂ with a Faradaic efficiency for N₂ of ∼80%. Employing ¹⁵NH₃ yields exclusively ³⁰N₂, demonstrating the conversion of ammonia to N₂. A suite of electrochemical studies is consistent with an initial EC step that generates an Fe^(III)–NH₂ intermediate (at 0.4 V) followed by an anodically shifted catalytic wave. The data indicate a rate-determining step that is first order in both [Fe] and [NH₃] and point to a fast catalytic rate (k_(obs)) of ∼10⁷ M⁻¹·s⁻¹ as computed by foot of the wave analysis (FOWA)

Brain energy rescue:an emerging therapeutic concept for neurodegenerative disorders of ageing

The brain requires a continuous supply of energy in the form of ATP, most of which is produced from glucose by oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria, complemented by aerobic glycolysis in the cytoplasm. When glucose levels are limited, ketone bodies generated in the liver and lactate derived from exercising skeletal muscle can also become important energy substrates for the brain. In neurodegenerative disorders of ageing, brain glucose metabolism deteriorates in a progressive, region-specific and disease-specific manner — a problem that is best characterized in Alzheimer disease, where it begins presymptomatically. This Review discusses the status and prospects of therapeutic strategies for countering neurodegenerative disorders of ageing by improving, preserving or rescuing brain energetics. The approaches described include restoring oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis, increasing insulin sensitivity, correcting mitochondrial dysfunction, ketone-based interventions, acting via hormones that modulate cerebral energetics, RNA therapeutics and complementary multimodal lifestyle changes

Towards More Efficient ab initio Computation of Physical Properties

The introduction of the modern computer has been a boon to myriad scientific communities. Scientific experiment can be categorized into the categories of physical experiment and thought experiment. In the chemical arena, these thought experiments are now able to be tested for validity through advanced semi-empirical and ab initio computational methods. Theoretical chemistry continues to increase in efficacy, and the spread of classical, wavefunction, and density functional methods into experimental communities is now undeniable. An aspiration of computational chemistry is to provide predictive power to lower the number of physical experiments that need to be performed. This is especially important when systems arise that are difficult to study experimentally. This has the possibility to lower financial and environmental costs, in addition to reducing the time needed to perform physical experiments. Here, methods to computationally study solvent effects and crystal lattice energies are reported on. Both of these physical properties have substantial relevance to human-focused enterprises such as targeted drug design. For example, drugs are often delivered in solid, crystalline form and must dissolve into molecular form prior to being pharmaceutically active. Although the specific research reported on here does not use systems directly related to such applications, it is posited that fundamental advances in computational methods for computing physical properties for arbitrary systems will contribute to solving problems in drug design, material development, and biomolecule recognition.Undergraduat