S16 Bioinspired small molecule activation

Organizers
Professor Shinobu Itoh, Osaka University, Japan
Professor Takahiko Kojimai, University of Tsukuba, Japan
Professor Wonwoo Nam, Ewha Womans University, South Korea
Professor A. S. Borovik, University of California-Irvine, USA
Professor Franc Meyer, Georg-August-University Gテカttingen, Germany


Keywords of the session

Bioinspired Catalyst, O2-activation, N2-activation, H2-activation, NO-activation, H2O-activation


Scope of the session

Simple small molecules like O2, N2, H2 and H2O are ubiquitous reservoirs of chemical energy. These energy sources can be used in many ways, such as for fueling biological systems and as synthons for the construction of more complex molecules. On the other hand, NO serves as a signaling agent in many biological systems as well as an intermediate of biological denitrification process. Furthermore, the rapid increase of greenhouse gases such as NO and CO2 in the atmosphere has become a big environmental problem. Such small molecules are generally quite thermodynamically stable and their successful utilization depends on surmounting often quite significant kinetic barriers. It has long been recognized that metal ions play crucial roles in providing low-barrier reaction pathways through binding and activation in such events. In this session, coordination chemists, involved in bioinspired small molecule activation chemistry, will meet together to discuss the recent results of state-of-the-art chemistry of small molecule activation.