A Possible Prebiotic Formation of Ammonia from Dinitrogen on Iron Sulfide Surfaces
Abstract
Teaching an old dog a new fix: Nitrogen fixation under mild conditions is still one of the most challenging tasks in chemistry. A method for the synthesis of ammonia from molecular nitrogen using hydrogen sulfide as a reductant and freshly precipitated iron sulfide as a mediator is described. The reaction (see scheme) may be a primordial inorganic ancestor of the enzyme nitrogenase.
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Under very mild conditions, FeS minerals can reduce N2 to NH3 at yields approaching 0.1 per cent.
“However, simulated hydrothermal conditions of 300°C and high pressure readily convert nitrite into NH3 [63], and under very mild conditions, FeS minerals can reduce N2 to NH3 at yields approaching 0.1 per cent [64], whereby native Fe±0 is also an effective catalyst of N2 reduction under hydrothermal conditions [65], recalling once again awaruite as an indicator of serpentinization [25].”
From Early bioenergetic evolution (2013) · cites this paper as [64]
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“1 per cent [64], whereby native Fe is also an effective catalyst of N2 reduction under hydrothermal conditions [65], recalling once again awaruite as an indicator of serpentinization [25].”
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- Authors
- Dörr, M., Käßbohrer, J., Grunert, R., Kreisel, G., Brand, W. A., Werner, R. A., Geilmann, H., Apfel, C., Robl, C., & Weigand, W.
- Affiliations
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena (DE)
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Kreisel, Günter
- Weigand, Wolfgang
- Venue
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2003-04-04
- Volume
- 42
- Issue
- 13
- Pages
- 1540-1543
- ISSN
- 1433-7851 (ISSN-L)
- 1521-3773
- OpenAlex
- W2165572559
- Cited by
- 132
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 4.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
- Max Planck Digital Library (submittedVersion)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Chemical Engineering › Catalysis › Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Metalloenzymes and iron-sulfur proteins
- Keywords
- ammonia synthesis, nitrogen fixation, prebiotic chemistry, iron sulfide, hydrogen sulfide
- MeSH terms
- Ammonia, Catalysis, Ferrous Compounds, Nitrogen, Nitrogenase, Oxidation-Reduction
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