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How much of a progress is this? Anyone here that can add insights?

by wanderlust2021 3y ago

kiloDalton 3y ago
The paper isn't about splitting water to yield hydrogen and oxygen gas which would be useful for energy applications. It's about a new way to make radical hydrogen (1 protein plus 1 electron) which is useful for synthesizing some organic compounds. It will be helpful for synthetic chemists and will make it easier to explore hydrogen radical chemistry. It may replace some processes that currently require transition metal catalysts, especially Samarium which is a rare earth element.
- Filligree 3y ago
  > 1 protein plus 1 electron Assuming that was autocorrupt. :) But 1+1... isn't that just normal hydrogen? Is the point that it's atomic, not H2?
  - Someone 3y ago
    Indeed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_(chemistry) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_(chemistry) “In chemistry, a radical, also known as a free radical, is an atom, molecule, or ion that has at least one unpaired valence electron. With some exceptions, these unpaired electrons make radicals highly chemically reactive. Many radicals spontaneously dimerize. Most organic radicals have short lifetimes.”
  - kiloDalton 3y ago
    I wish I could blame autocorrect. Just had proteins on the brain and typed the wrong word. If it wasn't obvious, protein --> proton
- blacksqr 3y ago
  Anything that creates hydrogen radicals could conceivably be used to construct electricity-producing fuel cells. Fuel cells normally radicalize hydrogen by contacting hydrogen with platinum catalysts under extreme conditions, requiring expensive and tricky design. If this new process can do the same in mild conditions with inexpensive organic catalysts under exposure to light, it could lead to more economical fuel cell designs.
  - opticfluorine 3y ago
    If I'm not mistaken this doesn't appear to be a catalyst. The reaction is driven by the irreversible formation of a strong P=O double bond, and the reagents are consumed. So great for chemical synthesis, but no clear path to fuel cell type reactions.
    - blacksqr 3y ago
      I did not look at the source paper before posting, but the paper makes it clear you're right. However, the Wikipedia page titled "Phosphine Oxide" states that reduction of the oxide back to its original state is straightforwardly done with cheap reagents.

How much of a progress is this? Anyone here that can add insights?

The paper isn't about splitting water to yield hydrogen and oxygen gas which would be useful for energy applications. It's about a new way to make radical hydrogen (1 protein plus 1 electron) which is useful for synthesizing some organic compounds. It will be helpful for synthetic chemists and will make it easier to explore hydrogen radical chemistry. It may replace some processes that currently require transition metal catalysts, especially Samarium which is a rare earth element.

Filligree 3y ago
> 1 protein plus 1 electron Assuming that was autocorrupt. :) But 1+1... isn't that just normal hydrogen? Is the point that it's atomic, not H2?
- Someone 3y ago
  Indeed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_(chemistry) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_(chemistry) “In chemistry, a radical, also known as a free radical, is an atom, molecule, or ion that has at least one unpaired valence electron. With some exceptions, these unpaired electrons make radicals highly chemically reactive. Many radicals spontaneously dimerize. Most organic radicals have short lifetimes.”
- kiloDalton 3y ago
  I wish I could blame autocorrect. Just had proteins on the brain and typed the wrong word. If it wasn't obvious, protein --> proton
blacksqr 3y ago
Anything that creates hydrogen radicals could conceivably be used to construct electricity-producing fuel cells. Fuel cells normally radicalize hydrogen by contacting hydrogen with platinum catalysts under extreme conditions, requiring expensive and tricky design. If this new process can do the same in mild conditions with inexpensive organic catalysts under exposure to light, it could lead to more economical fuel cell designs.
- opticfluorine 3y ago
  If I'm not mistaken this doesn't appear to be a catalyst. The reaction is driven by the irreversible formation of a strong P=O double bond, and the reagents are consumed. So great for chemical synthesis, but no clear path to fuel cell type reactions.
  - blacksqr 3y ago
    I did not look at the source paper before posting, but the paper makes it clear you're right. However, the Wikipedia page titled "Phosphine Oxide" states that reduction of the oxide back to its original state is straightforwardly done with cheap reagents.