Chemistry
The Role of Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer in Redox Catalysis
Quick fact
In many redox reactions, transferring an electron together with a proton is so much more favorable than transferring the electron alone that enzymes and catalysts evolved to couple these steps, bypassing high-energy charged intermediates and reducing the activation energy by tens of kilojoules per mole.
Why this is interesting
When a molecule is oxidized, it usually loses an electron—but what if it also loses a proton? This coupling can make reactions dramatically faster and more efficient, powering enzymes and fuel cells alike.