Abiological nitrogen fixation using homogeneous catalysts

Abiological nitrogen fixation describes chemical processes that convert (fix) the otherwise inert atmospheric dinitrogen (N2) into usable nitrogen compounds such as ammonia (NH3) without involving biotic nitrogenases (diazotrophy). While abiological nitrogen fixation can occur naturally via weather events such as lightning and cosmic radiation, the dominant form of abiological nitrogen fixation since the 20th century is the Haber process, which uses iron-based heterogeneous catalysts to artificially react nitrogen directly with hydrogen gas (H2) to mass-produce ammonia, which can be used by the chemical industry to make fertilizers and explosives.

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