Catalysts For Nitrogen Fixation

Biological nitrogen fixation provides more than 50% of the total annual input of the essential element nitrogen to world agriculture. Thus, it is of immense agronomic importance and critical to food supplies, particularly in developing countries. This book, with chapters authored by internationally renowned experts, provides a comprehensive and detailed account of the fascinating history of the process - including the surprising discoveries of molybdenum-independent nitrogenases and superoxide-dependent nitrogenase; a review of Man's attempts to emulate the biological process - most successfully with the commercially dominant Haber-Bosch process; and the current state of the understanding art with respect to the enzymes - called nitrogenases - responsible for biological nitrogen fixation. The initial chapters use a historical approach to the biological and industrial processes, followed by an overview of assay methodologies. The next set of chapters focuses on the classical enzyme, the molybdenum nitrogenase, and details its biosynthesis, structure, composition, and mechanism of action as well as detailing both how variants of its two component proteins are constructed by recombinant DNA technology and how computational techniques are being applied. The sophisticated chemical modelling of the metal-containing clusters in the enzyme is reviewed next, followed by a description of the two molybdenum-independent nitrogenases - first, the vanadium-containing enzyme and then the iron-only nitrogenase - together with some thoughts as to why they exist! Then follows an up-to-date treatment of the clearly "non-classical" properties of the superoxide-dependent nitrogenase, which more closely resembles molybdenum-containing hydroxylases and related enzymes, like nitrate reductase, that it does the other nitrogenases. Each chapter contains an extensive list of references. This book is the self-contained first volume of a comprehensive seven-volume series. No other available work provides the up-to-date and in-depth coverage of this series and this volume. This book is intended to serve as an indispensable reference work for all scientists working in this area, including agriculture and the closely related metals-in-biology area; to assist students to enter this challenging area of research; and to provide science administrators easy access to vital relevant information.

A comprehensive book that explores nitrogen fixation by using transition metal-dinitrogen complexes Nitrogen fixation is one of the most prominent fields of research in chemistry. This book puts the focus on the development of catalytic ammonia formation from nitrogen gas under ambient reaction conditions that has been recently repowered by some research groups. With contributions from noted experts in the field, Transition Metal-Dinitrogen Complexes offers an important guide and comprehensive resource to the most recent research and developments on the topic of nitrogen fixation by using transition metal-dinitrogen. The book is filled with the information needed to understand the synthesis of transition metal-dinitrogen complexes and their reactivity. This important book: -Offers a resource for understanding nitrogen fixation chemistry that is essential for explosives, pharmaceuticals, dyes, and all forms of life -Includes the information needed for anyone interested in the field of nitrogen fixation by using transition metal-dinitrogen complexes -Contains state-of-the-art research on synthesis of transition metal-dinitrogen complexes and their reactivity in nitrogen fixation -Incorporates contributions from well-known specialists and experts with an editor who is an innovator in the field of dinitrogen chemistry Written for chemists and scientists with an interest in nitrogen fixation, Transition Metal-Dinitrogen Complexes is a must-have resource to the burgeoning field of nitrogen fixation by using transition metal-dinitrogen complexes.

The phenomenon of catalysis is found in many homogeneous and heterogeneous systems undergoing chemical change, where it effects the rates of approach to the equilibrium state in processes as diverse as those found in the stars, the earth's mantle, living organisms, and the various chemistries utilized by industry. The economies and the living standards of both developed and developing countries depend to varying degrees upon the efficacy of their chemical industries. Con sequently, this century has seen a wide exploration and expansion of catalytic chemistry together with an intensive investigation of specific, essential processes like those contributing to life-supporting agricultures. Prime among the latter must surely be the "fixation" of atmospheric nitrogen by catalytic hydrogenation to anhydrous ammonia, still the preferred synthetic precursor of the nitrogenous components of fertilizers. In each decade contemporary concepts and techniques have been used to further the understanding, as yet incomplete, of the catalyst, the adsorbates, the surface reactions, and the technology of large-scale operation. The contributors to the present volume review the state of the art, the science, and the technology; they reveal existing lacunae, and suggest ways forward. Around the turn of the century, Sabatier's school was extending the descriptive catalytic chemistry of hydrogenation by metals to include almost all types of multiple bond. The triple bond of dinitrogen, which continued to be more resistant than the somewhat similar bonds in carbon monoxide and ethyne, defied their efforts.

Here, the world's most active and productive computational scientists from academia and industry present established, effective and powerful tools for understanding catalysts. With its broad scope -- nitrogen fixation, polymerization, C-H bond activation, oxidations, biocatalysis and much more -- this book represents an extensive knowledge base for designing efficient catalysts, allowing readers to improve the performance of their own catalysts.

This volume covers all aspects of fundamental and applied nitrogen-fixation research, extending from biochemistry and chemistry through genetics, regulation and physiology to agricultural practice and environmental impact. It describes recent progress on studies of potential catalysts for nitrogen fixation; how the N2-fixing process is regulated in living cells; the use and impact of genetics and genomics on our understanding of the biological process; the wide variety of associations of nitrogen-fixing microbes with plants, including the formalized Rhizobium-legume and actinorrhizal associations as well as the less formalized associative and endophytic interactions; and the impact of nitrogen fixation in agriculture and forestry, including its effect on the environment. This volume provides an up-to-date referenced source, which can be readily accessed by all practicing and otherwise interested proponents of nitrogen fixation research, including those with related interests in the areas of plant and microbial science, genomics, plant-microbe interactions, genetics and regulation, plant growth and biocontrol, agriculture, forestry, ecology, taxonomy and evolution.

This volume presents a review of recent developments in nitrogen fixation using transition metal–dinitrogen complexes in the last decade. The authors are international experts in the corresponding field and each chapter discusses their latest achievements in the preparation of various transition metal–dinitrogen complexes and their reactivity. This volume will be helpful to researchers, teachers, and students who are interested in innovative and sustainable chemistry.

This book provides a review of worldwide developments in ammonia synthesis catalysts over the last 30 years. It focuses on the new generation of Fe1-xO based catalysts and ruthenium catalysts — both are major breakthroughs for fused iron catalysts. The basic theory for ammonia synthesis is systematically explained, covering topics such as the chemical components, crystal structure, preparation, reduction, performance evaluation, characterization of the catalysts, the mechanism and kinetics of ammonia synthesis reaction. Both theory and practice are combined in this presentation, with emphasis on the research methods, application and exploitation of catalysts. The comprehensive volume includes an assessment of the economic and engineering aspects of ammonia plants based on the performance of catalysts. Recent developments in photo-catalysis, electro-catalysis, biocatalysis and new uses of ammonia are also introduced in this book. The author, Professor Huazhang Liu, has been engaged in research and practice for more than 50 years in this field and was the inventor of the first Fe1-xO based catalysts in the world. He has done a lot of research on Fe3O4 based- and ruthenium based-catalysts, and has published more than 300 papers and obtained 21 patents during his career. Contents:Historical Evolution of Catalysts for Ammonia SynthesisCatalytic Reaction Mechanisms of Ammonia SynthesisChemical Composition and Structure of Fused Iron CatalystsPreparation of Fused Iron CatalystsReduction of Fused Iron CatalystsRuthenium Based Ammonia Synthesis CatalystsPerformance Evaluation and Characterization of CatalystsPerformance and Application of CatalystsEffect of Catalyst Performance on the Economic Benefits of Catalytic ProcessInnovation and Speculation Readership: Researchers in academia and industry working on catalysts for ammonia synthesis. Keywords:Ammonia Synthesis;Catalysts;Catalytic;Iron Catalyst;Fused Iron Catalyst;Ruthenium CatalystKey Features:Provides a review of worldwide developments in ammonia synthesis catalysts over the last 30 yearsFocuses on the new generation of Fe1-xO based catalysts and ruthenium catalystsCombines theory and practice, with emphasis on research methods and industrial exploitation