ATP-independent formation of hydrocarbons catalyzed by isolated nitrogenase cofactors

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/anie.201108916

Reduce to produce: Molybdenum- and vanadium-nitrogenase cofactors have been isolated and shown to reduce carbon monoxide and cyanide ions to a mixture of alkanes and alkenes in the presence of a strong reductant, europium(II) diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (see scheme). Various hydrocarbons of up to seven carbon atoms in length are detected as products in these ATP-free reactions.