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Proton-coupled electron transfer

Metal hydrides find the sweet spot

The synchronous movement of protons and electrons orchestrated by enzymes gives rise to highly efficient catalytic processes in nature, such as photosynthesis. Now, researchers have choreographed similar reactivity for a metal hydride complex, setting the stage for efficient solar fuel production in artificial systems.

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Figure 1: The oxidation–deprotonation of [W(Cp)(CO)3H].

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Correspondence to Jillian L. Dempsey.

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Dempsey, J. Metal hydrides find the sweet spot. Nature Chem 7, 101–102 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2162

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