N₂reduction and hydrogenation to ammonia by a molecular iron-potassium complex.

The most common catalyst in the Haber-Bosch process for the hydrogenation of dinitrogen (N(2)) to ammonia (NH(3)) is an iron surface promoted with potassium cations (K(+)), but soluble iron complexes have neither reduced the N-N bond of N(2) to nitride (N(3-)) nor produced large amounts of NH(3) from N(2). We report a molecular iron complex that reacts with N(2) and a potassium reductant to give a complex with two nitrides, which are bound to iron and potassium cations. The product has a Fe(3)N(2) core, implying that three iron atoms cooperate to break the N-N triple bond through a six-electron reduction. The nitride complex reacts with acid and with H(2) to give substantial yields of N(2)-derived ammonia. These reactions, although not yet catalytic, give structural and spectroscopic insight into N(2) cleavage and N-H bond-forming reactions of iron.