The catalytic reduction of nitrobenzene at the [MoVIO2(O2CC(S)(C6H5)2)2]2? complex intercalated in a Zn(II)-Al(III) layered double hydroxide host: A kinetic model for the molybdenum-pterin binding site in nitrate reductase

The heterogeneous reduction of nitrobenzene by thiophenol catalyzed by the dianionic bis(2-sulfanyl-2,2-diphenylethanoxycarbonyl) dioxomolybdate(VI) complex, [MoVIO2(O2CC(S)(C6H5)2)2]2−, intercalated into a Zn(II)–Al(III) layered double hydroxide host [Zn3−xAlx(OH)6]x+, has been investigated under anaerobic conditions. Aniline was found to be the only product formed through a reaction consuming six moles of thiophenol for each mol of aniline produced. The kinetics of the system have been analyzed in detail. In excess of thiophenol, all reactions follow first-order kinetics (ln([PhNO2]/[PhNO2]0) = −kappt) with the apparent rate constant kapp being a complex function of both initial nitrobenz…