title: The mechanism of CO2 hydration: a porous metal oxide nanocapsule catalyst can mimic the biological carbonic anhydrase role.
abstract: The mechanism for the hydration of CO2 within a Keplerate nanocapsule is presented. A network of hydrogen bonds across the water layers in the first metal coordination sphere facilitates the proton abstraction and nucleophilic addition of water. The highly acidic properties of the polyoxometalate cluster are crucial for explaining the catalysed hydration.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), Avda. Països Catalans, 16. 43007 Tarragona, Spain. cbo@iciq.cat.
authors.forename: Nuno A G
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Bandeira
authors.forename: Somenath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garai
authors.forename: Achim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bo