SYNTHETIC MODELS FOR IRON OXYGEN AGGREGATION AND BIOMINERALIZATION

A description of the formation and structure of naturally occurring hydroxo(oxo)polyiron compounds is important in understanding the chemistry of iron in the biosphere and in the earth's crust. To this end a series of model compounds has been synthesized; the preparation of Fe-O clusters with 17 and 19 iron atoms by Powell et al. is the latest advance. The cluster cores represent the beginning stages of the biomineralization of iron oxides. The structure of the Fe19 aggregate 1 [o = Fe, o = 0, o = N (amine ligand)] is depicted here.