Stepwise hydride transfer in the biosynthesis of chlorophyll
(PHYSorg.com Chemistry)

Hydride transfer is an important reaction for chemistry (e.g., fuel cells), as well as biology (e.g., respiratory chain and photosynthesis). Often, one partial reaction involves the transfer of a hydride ion (H-). But does this hydride transfer involve one step or several individual steps? In the journal Angewandte Chemie, scientists have now provided the first proof of stepwise hydride transfer in a biological system.