Abstract
The enzymatic systems used in energy applications are highly complex systems, developed in the course of evolution to ensure complex electron transfer and small molecule activation processes. In particular, they possess highly specific metal active sites whose biosynthesis and assembly depend on the activity of an equally complex and as yet incompletely understood cellular maturation system. This introduces considerable constraints for the large-scale production of these enzymes for biotechnological applications. In this lecture, we show how synthetic organometallic chemistry can remarkably simplify the question of the maturation of certain enzymes, such as iron hydrogenase, much studied as a catalyst for hydrogen production, notably in electrochemical systems.
