Abstract
WE have characterised the reduction of nitrate by a mono-molecular molybdenum (III) species in aqueous solutions. Nitrate reduction is catalysed by nitrate reductases which are molybdoproteins1. Nitrate is reduced to nitrite by nitrate reductase, the nitrite being further reduced to ammonium ions by nitrite reductase which contains iron but no molybdenum2. Evidence indicates that nitrate reductases are monomolecular in molybdenum3,4. Therefore, a molybdenum-based model system for nitrate reductase should be monomolecular in molybdenum and undergo a change of oxidation state of two [Mo(III) → Mo(V) or Mo(IV) → Mo(VI)].
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KETCHUM, P., TAYLOR, R. & YOUNG, D. Model reaction for biological reduction of nitrate involving Mo(III)/Mo(V). Nature 259, 202–204 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/259202a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/259202a0
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