Catechol oxidase and phenoxazinone synthase: Biomimetic functional models and mechanistic studies

Functional biomimetics for copper oxidases: interesting catalytic promiscuity of novel monocopper(II) complexes

Employing H(L1) [2-((pyridine-2-ylmethyl)imino)methylphenol] or H(L2) [2-((pyridine-2-ylethyl)imino)methylphenol] and phen (1,10-phenanthroline), two novel monocopper(II) complexes, [Cu(L1/L2)(phen)](ClO4) (1 or 2), have been produced and studied. The single-crystal structure of the complex ion in 2, as determined by X-ray structure analysis, shows a trigonal bipyramidal geometry with distortion (τ, 0.65). DFT calculations were used to investigate the molecular geometry of copper(II) complexes in solution as well as their electronic characteristics. The electronic and EPR spectra in the solid-state of 1 and 2 reveal a trigonal bipyramidal geometry, whereas the geometry in solution is square pyramidal. The positive and reversible nature of the redox pair (CuII/CuI) makes redox states easily interconvertible. The catalysts in methanol and/or the buffer induced three separate chemical changes: (i) ascorbic acid → dehydroascorbic acid, (ii) benzylamine → benzaldehyde, and (iii) 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol → 3,5-di-tert-butylquinone. Their kcat results show higher activities of amine oxidase (105 h-1). Ascorbate oxidase (107 h-1) and catechol oxidase (106 h-1) activity in the buffer yields kcat values that are closer to those of the natural enzyme. This is due to the presence of ligand flexibility, structural distortion, an appropriate chelate ring size, a labile donor, a positive redox potential, and a persistent catalyst-substrate interaction. Therefore, the two monocopper(II) complexes serve as the most efficient promiscuous catalysts, acting as complementary agents to the activity of copper oxidase enzymes and superior models for oxidation processes.

New synthetic approaches for the construction of 2-aminophenoxazinone architectures

Elaborated molecular architectures, specifically those containing a 2-aminophenoxazinone scaffold, belong to one of the most ubiquitous and prominent classes of heterocyclic frameworks, going from natural products to biologically active pharmaceutical molecules and from agrochemicals to functional materials and polymers. Therefore, efficient synthetic strategies for the assembly of 2-aminophenoxazinone frameworks are always in demand and have gained attention in academic and industrial communities. Methodologies that involve cascade reactions generally catalyzed by transition metal complexes, such as iron, cobalt, manganese, copper, and zinc complexes, have stood out as a representative approach. Over the past few decades, a great deal of versatile, atom-economic, and straightforward protocols have been reported for the generation of value-added 2-aminophenoxazinone frameworks in a sustainable, powerful, and applicable manner. The state-of-the-art methodologies toward the construction of 2-aminophenoxazinone skeletons are summarized in this review, which could be divided into four categories: (1) construction of 2-aminophenoxazinone compounds catalyzed by transition metal complexes; (2) construction of 2-aminophenoxazinone compounds catalyzed by biosynthetic enzymes; (3) synthetic process routes of 2-aminophenoxazinone compounds; and (4) construction of 2-aminophenoxazinone compounds via other innovative methods.

Exploring structural, magnetic, and catalytic diversity in tetranuclear {Cu4O4} cubane cores and a dinuclear complex derived from closely related ligand systems

The coordination compounds featuring a {Cu4O4} core, typically bridged by hydroxo or alkoxo groups, are particularly intriguing due to their notable magnetic properties and catalytic activity. In this study, we explored the synthesis and characterization of four new Schiff base ligands and their subsequent complexation with CuII salts, which resulted in the formation of three tetranuclear complexes: [Cu4(L1)4]·2H2O (1), [Cu4(L2)2(HL2)2](Cl)(NO3)·5H2O (2), and [Cu4(L3)4] (3), as well as one dinuclear complex: [Cu2(L4)2] (4). These tetranuclear complexes all feature a {Cu4O4} core, but with differing coordination environments around the CuII centers. For instance, complex 1 exhibits μ3-phenoxido bridges and a distorted octahedral geometry, while complex 3 features μ3-alkoxido bridges and a square pyramidal geometry. Complex 2 displays an open cubane core with mixed μ2-phenoxido and μ3-alkoxido bridges, with both square planar (CuNO4) and octahedral (CuNO5) geometries. In addition, dinuclear complex 4 was synthesized, featuring square planar CuII centers linked by μ2-alkoxido bridges. The magnetic studies revealed that 1 and 2 exhibit strong antiferromagnetic coupling, which is attributed to their larger Cu-O-Cu bond angles, while complex 3 demonstrates moderate ferromagnetic behavior, associated with smaller bond angles. Literature reports indicate that {Cu4O4} cubane cores generally show ferromagnetic interactions at bond angles near 104°, but in complex 3, we observed moderate ferromagnetic interactions with a Cu-O-Cu bridging angle of 108.41(9)°, making it one of the highest bond angles observed for ferromagnetic interactions in a {Cu4O4} cubane-like system. The planar dinuclear complex 4 exhibits extremely strong antiferromagnetic coupling, which is attributed to the ideal Cu-O-Cu bridging angles and the planar Cu-O-O-Cu core. Additionally, EPR measurements of complex 3 at 4 K reveal a well-isolated S = 2 ground state, separated by a gap of 65.8 cm-1 from the three closest degenerate spin levels (S = 0, 1, and 1). Finally, all four complexes were used as catalysts for the aerobic oxidation of 2-aminophenol, and the mechanism of the oxidation process was elucidated by EPR spectroscopy.

Phenoxazinone Synthase-Like Catalytic Activity of Bi- and Trinuclear Copper(II) Complexes with 2-Benzylethanolamine: Experimental and Theoretical Investigations

The self-assembly reaction of 2-benzylaminoethanol (Hbae) with CuCl2 or Cu(NO3)2 leads to the formation of binuclear [Cu2(bae)2(Cl)2] (1) and [Cu2(Hbae)2(bae)2](NO3)2 (2) complexes, while the trinuclear [Cu3(Hbae)2(bae)2(dmba)2](NO3)2 (3) compound was obtained using the auxiliar bulky substituted 2,2-dimethylbutyric acid (Hdmba). Crystallographic studies reveal the molecular structures of 1 and 2 based on the similar {Cu2(μ-O)2} core, while the structure of 3 features the {Cu3(μ-O)2} core with consecutive arranement of the metal centres, supported by the additional carboxylate bridges. The strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds join the molecular structures into 1D (for 1 and 3) or 2D (for 2) architectures. All three compounds act as catalysts for the aerobic oxidation of 2-aminophenol to the phenoxazinone chromophore (phenoxazinone synthase-like activity) with the maximum reaction rates up to 2.3×10-8 M s-1. The substrate scope involves methyl-, nitro- and chloro-substituted 2-aminophenols, disclosing the negligible activity of nitro-derivatives, while the 6-amino-m-cresol substrate shows the highest activity with the initial reaction rate of 5.8×10-8 M s-1. The mechanism of the rate-limiting reaction step (copper-catalysed formation of 2-aminophenoxyl radicals) was investigated at the DFT level. The combined DFT and CASSCF studies of the copper superoxo CuII-OO⋅ radical species as possible unconventional reaction intermediates resulted in a rational mechanism of H-atom abstraction, where the activation energies follow the experimental reactivity of substituted 2-aminophenols. The TDDFT and STEOM-DLPNO-CCSD theoretical calculations of the absorption spectra of substrates, phenoxazinone chromophores and putative polynuclear species containing 2-aminophenoxo ligand are reported.

Redox-Induced Aromatic Substitution: A Study on Guanidino-Functionalized Aromatics

Aromatic substitution of redox-active aromatic compounds could be initiated by a preceding redox step. We report on the different reaction pathways of such redox-induced substitution (RIAS) reactions between a redox-active guanidino-functionalized aromatic molecule (GFA) and an amine or guanidine. Oxidation of the GFA leads to an umpolung of the guanidine from a nucleophile to an electrophile and thereby enables addition of the amine or guanidine. Several examples are given, demonstrating the use of redox substitution in synthetic chemistry, e. g. for the convenient synthesis of novel N-heteropolycyclic molecules and unsymmetrically-substituted aromatics.

Supramolecular Dimeric MnIII Complexes: Synthesis, Structure, Magnetic Properties, and Catalytic Oxidation Studies

In this study, a tetradentate Schiff-base ligand (H2L), synthesized by the condensation of ethylenediamine with 2-hydroxy-3-methoxy-5-methylbenzaldehyde, was reacted with either manganese salts or manganese salts in the presence of various pseudohalides in methanol. This reaction resulted in the formation of five mononuclear MnIII complexes: [Mn(L)(H2O)2](NO3)·1/2H2O·1/2CH3OH (1), [Mn(L)(H2O)2](ClO4)·H2O (2), [Mn(L)(N3)(H2O)]·1/3H2O (3), [Mn(L)(NCS)(H2O)] (4), and [Mn(L)(H2O)2](dca) (5) (where dca is dicyanamide ion). X-ray crystallography revealed that the MnIII centers adopt a hexa-coordinate pseudo-octahedral geometry, where the equatorial plane is constructed with phenoxo oxygen and imine nitrogen atoms from the Schiff base ligand, while the axial positions are occupied by water molecules or a combination of water and pseudohalides. Supramolecular interactions, primarily π-π stacking and hydrogen bonding, contribute to the formation of pseudodimeric structures in the solid state. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicated antiferromagnetic coupling within quasi-dimers, primarily through hydrogen bonds. Catalytic studies showed that the complexes effectively catalyze the aerobic oxidation of substrates such as 2-aminophenol and 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol to yield 2-aminophenoxazin-3-one and 3,5-di-tert-butylquinone, respectively. They also catalyze the oxidation of styrene to its corresponding oxirane, demonstrating their versatile catalytic proficiency. Mechanistic insights, supported by ESI mass spectrometry and EPR studies, suggest that catalysis involves the formation of a complex-substrate aggregate, followed by an intramolecular electron transfer.

Synthesis and characterization of novel uranyl clusters supported by bis(pyrazolyl) methane ligands: biomimetic catalytic oxidation, BSA protein interaction and cytotoxicity studies

Two novel uranyl complexes were synthesized using bis-pyrazolyl methane ligands. The complexes were characterized by several spectroscopic techniques, including UV-Vis, IR, NMR, mass spectrometry, fluorescence, electrochemical, and thermogravimetric analysis. The solid-state structure of the complex C1 was determined with the help of single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The complexes C1 and C2 efficiently catalyse the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butyl catechol and 2-aminophenol in the atmospheric air, imitating the catalytic activity of the catechol oxidase and phenoxazinone synthase enzymes. The kinetic parameters and the catalytic efficiency (K cat/K M) of the reactions were calculated. Formation of organic free radicals in the catalytic reactions was confirmed by EPR spectroscopy. The interaction of these complexes with the protein, bovine serum albumin, was investigated by using UV-Vis and fluorescence spectral analysis. The cytotoxicity of the complexes against MDAMB-231 and A549 cell lines was investigated, and IC50 values were determined.

Impressive promiscuous biomimetic models of ascorbate, amine, and catechol oxidases

Copper metalloenzymes ascorbate oxidase (AOase), amine oxidase (AmOase), and catechol oxidase (COase) possess copper(II) sites of coordination, which are trimeric, homodimeric, and dimeric, respectively. Two newly mononuclear copper(II) complexes, namely, [Cu(L)(bpy)](ClO4) (1) and [Cu(L)(phen)](ClO4) (2) where HL = Schiff base, have been synthesized. UV-visible, EPR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction examinations were used to validate the geometry in solution and solid state. For complex 1, the metal exhibits a coordination sphere between square pyramidal and trigonal bipyramidal geometry (τ, 0.49). A positive CuII/I redox potential indicates a stable switching between CuII and CuI redox states. Despite the monomeric origin, both homogeneous catalysts (1 or 2) in MeOH were found to favor three distinct chemical transformations, namely, ascorbic acid (H2A) to dehydroascorbic acid (DA), benzylamine (Ph-CH2-NH2) to benzaldehyde (Ph-CHO), and 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (3,5-DTBC) to 3,5-di-tert-butylquinone (3,5-DTBQ) [kcat: AOase, 9.6 (1) or 2.0 × 106 h-1(2); AmOase, 13.4 (1) or 9.4 × 106 h-1 (2); COase, 2.0 (1) or 1.9 × 103 h-1 (2)]. They exhibit higher levels of AOase activity as indicated by their kcat values compared to the AOase enzyme. The kcat values for COase activity in buffer solution [5.93 (1) or 2.95 × 105 h-1 (2)] are one order lower than those of the enzymes. This is because of the labile nature of the coordinated donor, the flexibility of the ligand, the simplicity of the catalyst-substrate interaction, and the positive CuII/I redox potential. Interestingly, more efficient catalysis is promoted by 1 and 2 concerning that of other mono- and dicopper(II) complexes.

Chemical fixation of atmospheric CO2 in tricopper(II)-carbonato complexes with tetradentate N-donor ligands: reactive intermediates, probable mechanisms, and catalytic and magneto-structural studies

In the present era, the fixation of atmospheric CO2 is of significant importance and plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of carbon and energy flow within ecosystems. Generally, CO2 fixation is carried out by autotrophic organisms; however, the scientific community has paid substantial attention to execute this process in laboratory. In this report, we synthesized two carbonato-bridged trinuclear copper(II) complexes, [Cu3(L1)3(μ3-CO3)](ClO4)3 (1) and [Cu3(L2)3(μ3-CO3)](ClO4)3 (2) via atmospheric fixation of CO2 starting with Cu(ClO4)2·6H2O and easily accessible pyridine/pyrazine-based N4 donor Schiff base ligands L1 and L2, respectively. Under very similar reaction conditions, the ligand framework embedded with the phenolate moiety (HL3) fails to do so because of the reduction of the Lewis acidity of the metal center, inhibiting the formation of a reactive hydroxide bound copper(II) species, which is required for the fixation of atmospheric CO2. X-ray crystal structures display that carbonate-oxygen atoms bridge three copper(II) centers in μ3syn-anti disposition in 1 and 2, whereas [Cu(HL3)(ClO4)] (3) is a mononuclear complex. Interestingly, we also isolated an important intermediate of atmospheric CO2 fixation and structurally characterized it as an anti-anti μ2 carbonato-bridged dinuclear copper(II) complex, [Cu2(L2)2(μ2-CO3)](ClO4)2·MeOH (2-I), providing an in-depth understanding of CO2 fixation in these systems. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurement suggests ferromagnetic interactions between the metal centers in both 1 and 2, and the results have been further supported by DFT calculations. The catalytic efficiency of our synthesized complexes 1-3 was checked by means of catechol oxidase and phenoxazinone synthase-like activities. While complexes 1 and 2 showed oxidase-like activity for aerobic oxidation of o-aminophenol and 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol, complex 3 was found to be feebly active. ESI mass spectrometry revealed that the oxidation reaction proceeds through the formation of complex-substrate intermediations and was further substantiated by DFT calculations. Moreover, active catalysts 1 and 2 were effectively utilized for the base-free oxidation of benzylic alcohols in the presence of air as a green and sustainable oxidant and catalytic amount of TEMPO in acetonitrile. Various substituted benzylic alcohols smoothly converted to their corresponding aldehydes under very mild conditions and ambient temperature. The present catalytic protocol showcases its environmental sustainability by producing minimal waste.

The influence of thioether-substituted ligands in dicopper(II) complexes: Enhancing oxidation and biological activities

This paper describes the synthesis, structural analysis, as well as the magnetic and spectroscopic characterizations of three new dicopper(II) complexes with dinucleating phenol-based ligands containing different thioether donor substituents: aromatic (1), aliphatic (2) or thiophene (3). Temperature-dependent magnetometry reveals the presence of antiferromagnetic coupling for 1 and 3 (J = -2.27 cm-1 and -5.01 cm-1, respectively, H = -2JS1S2) and ferromagnetic coupling for 2 (J = 5.72 cm-1). Broken symmetry DFT calculations attribute this behavior to a major contribution from the dz2 orbitals for 1 and 3, and from the dx2-y2 orbitals for 2, along with the p orbitals of the oxygens. The bioinspired catalytic activities of these complexes related to catechol oxidase were studied using 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol as substrate. The order of catalytic rates for the substrate oxidation follows the trend 1 > 2 > 3 with kcat of (90.79 ± 2.90) × 10-3 for 1, (64.21 ± 0.99) × 10-3 for 2 and (14.20 ± 0.32) × 10-3 s-1 for 3. The complexes also cleave DNA through an oxidative mechanism with minor-groove preference, as indicated by experimental and molecular docking assays. Antimicrobial potential of these highly active complexes has shown that 3 inhibits both Staphylococcus aureus bacterium and Epidermophyton floccosum fungus. Notably, the complexes were found to be nontoxic to normal cells but exhibited cytotoxicity against epidermoid carcinoma cells, surpassing the activity of the metallodrug cisplatin. This research shows the multifaceted properties of these complexes, making them promising candidates for various applications in catalysis, nucleic acids research, and antimicrobial activities.

Cu(II)-Ln(III) (Ln = Gd, Tb and Dy) complexes of an unsymmetrical N2O3 donor ligand: field induced SMM behaviour of Cu(II)-Tb(III) complexes

Three new hetero-metallic CuII-LnIII complexes [(CuL)Gd(NO3)3(CH3OH)]n (1), [(CuL)Tb(NO3)3(H2O)]·[CuL] (2) and [(CuL)Dy(NO3)3(H2O)]·[CuL] (3) have been synthesized using a mono-nuclear Cu(II) complex, [CuL], of an unsymmetrically di-condensed N2O3 donor Schiff base ligand, N-(3-methoxysalicylidene)-N-(salicylidene)-1,2-ethylenediamine (H2L). Single crystal X-ray crystallography revealed that complex 1 is a nitrate bridged 1D chain of dinuclear Cu(II)-Gd(III) units whereas in 2 and 3, the dinuclear Cu(II)-Ln(III) units are co-crystallized with a [CuL] unit. The Ln(III) centers are nine coordinated with the geometry of a spherical capped square antiprism for Gd and spherical tricapped trigonal prism for Tb and Dy. The geometry of the Cu(II) center is distorted octahedral for complex 1 and distorted square planar for complexes 2 and 3. Temperature-dependent molar magnetic susceptibility measurements in 1-3 revealed the presence of overall ferromagnetic coupling between the Cu(II) and Ln(III) centers. Notably, field induced single-molecule magnet behavior was witnessed in the Tb(III) derivative (2). The ab initio calculations indicated that upon application of an external magnetic field, the tunneling in the ground state of complex 2 gets reduced and thereby field-induced SMM behaviour is observed. Besides, in the case of complex 1, BS-DFT calculations were carried out to gain further insights into the magnetic exchange coupling interactions between the Cu(II) and Gd(III) centers.

Formation of H-bonding networks in the solid state structure of a trinuclear cobalt(iii/ii/iii) complex with N2O2 donor Schiff base ligand and glutaric acid as bridging co-ligand: synthesis, structure and DFT study

A trinuclear linear mixed-valence centrosymmetric cobalt(iii)-cobalt(ii)-cobalt(iii) complex, [CoII{(μ-L)(μ-Hglu)CoIII(OH2)}2](ClO4)2·6H2O has been synthesized during tetradentate N2O2 donor 'Schiff base' ligand, H2L {N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-1,3-diaminopropane} and glutaric acid (H2glu) as anionic co-ligand. The complex has been characterized by spectroscopic measurements and its solid state structure has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The supra-molecular assembly formed by the hydrogen bonding interactions in the solid state of the complex has been analysed using DFT calculations.

Evaluation of Environmental Factor Effects on the Polyphenol and Flavonoid Content in the Leaves of Chrysanthemum indicum L. and Its Habitat Suitability Prediction Mapping

The leaves of Chrysanthemum indicum L. are known to have various bioactive compounds; however, industrial use is extremely limited. To overcome this situation by producing high-quality leaves with high bioactive content, this study examined the environmental factors affecting the phytochemical content and antioxidant activity using C. indicum leaves collected from 22 sites in Kochi Prefecture, Japan. Total phenolic and flavonoid content in the dry leaves ranged between 15.0 and 64.1 (mg gallic acid g-1) and 2.3 and 11.4 (mg quercetin g-1), while the antioxidant activity (EC50) of the 50% ethanol extracts ranged between 28.0 and 123.2 (µg mL-1) in 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay. Among the identified compounds, chlorogenic acid and 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid were the main constituents in C. indicum leaves. The antioxidant activity demonstrated a positive correlation with 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (R2 = 0.62) and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (R2 = 0.77). The content of chlorogenic acid and dicaffeoylquinic acid isomers varied significantly according to the effects of exchangeable magnesium, cation exchange capacity, annual temperature, and precipitation, based on analysis of variance. The habitat suitability map using the geographical information system and the MaxEnt model predicted very high and high regions, comprising 3.2% and 10.1% of the total area, respectively. These findings could be used in future cultivation to produce high-quality leaves of C. indicum.

Metamorphosis of a Commodity Plastic like PVC to Efficient Catalytic Single-Chain Nanoparticles

We perform the conversion of a commodity plastic of common use in pipes, window frames, medical devices, flexible hoses, etc. like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to single-chain nanoparticles (SCNPs). SCNPs are versatile, protein-mimetic soft nano-objects of growing interest for catalysis, sensing, and nanomedicine, among other uses. We demonstrate that the metamorphosis process -as induced through metal-free click chemistry- leads to well-defined, uniform SCNPs that are stable during storage in the solid state for months. All the conversion process (from PVC isolation to PVC-SCNPs synthesis) can be run in a green, dipolar aprotic solvent and involving, when required, a simple mixture of ethanol and water (1/1 vol.) as non-solvent. The resulting PVC-SCNPs are investigated as recyclable, metalloenzyme-mimetic catalysts for several representative Cu(II)-catalyzed organic reactions. The method could be valid for the metamorphosis and valorization of other commodity plastics in which it is feasible to install azide functional groups in their linear polymer chains.

A tetranuclear Mn-diamond core complex as a functional mimic of both catechol oxidase and phenoxazinone synthase enzymes

Through dioxygen activation, a tetranuclear Mn(II,III,III,II) diamond core, [Mn4(HPTP*)2(μ-O)2(H2O)4](ClO4)4 (1) complex, has been synthesised using a suitably designed septadentate ligand framework (HPTP*H = 1,3-bis(bis((4-methoxy-3,5-dimethylpyridin-2-yl)methyl)amino)propan-2-ol). The newly prepared complex 1 was characterised using multiple spectroscopic techniques and X-ray crystallography. 1 exhibits excellent catalytic oxidation reactivity for the model substrates, namely, 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (3,5-DTBC) and 2-aminophenol, efficiently mimicking the enzymes catechol oxidase and phenoxazinone synthase, respectively. Remarkably, we employed aerial oxygen to catalyze the oxidation of these model substrates, 3,5-DTBC and 2-aminophenol, with turnover numbers of 835 and 14, respectively. A tetranuclear Mn-diamond core complex that mimics both catechol oxidase and phenoxazinone synthase could pave the way for further research into its potential as a multi-enzymatic functional mimic.

Formation Process of SiF6@Cu2L4 Chiral Cage Pairs in a Glass Vessel: Catechol Oxidation Catalysis and Chiral Recognition

Self-assembly of CuX2 (X- = BF4-, PF6-, and SbF6-) with a pair of chiral bidentate ligands, (1R,2S)-(+)- and (1S,2R)-(-)-1-(nicotinamido)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2-yl-nicotinate (r,s-L or s,r-L), in a mixture solvent including ethanol in a glass vessel gives rise to SiF62--encapsulated Cu2L4 chiral cage products. The SiF62- anion from the reaction of X- with SiO2 of the glass-vessel surface acts as a cage template or cage bridge. One of the products, [SiF6@Cu2(SiF6)(s,r-L)4]·3CHCl3·4EtOH, is one of the most effective heterogeneous catalysts for the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol. Furthermore, an l-DOPA/d-DOPA pair is recognizable by the cyclic voltammetry (CV) signals of its combination with chiral cages [SiF6@Cu2(BF4)2(s,r- or r,s-L)4]·4CHCl3·2EtOH pair and [SiF6@Cu2(SiF6)(s,r- or r,s-L)4]·3CHCl3·4EtOH pair.

Role of Imidazole and Chelate Ring Size in Copper Oxidation Catalysts: An Experimental and Theoretical Study

In this work, the structural, solution, electrochemical, and catalytic properties of the complexes with ligands derived from imidazole and pyridines were studied. A comparative study of five bioinspired copper catalysts with or without coordinated imidazole and with different chelate ring sizes is presented. Catalytic efficiency on the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (DTBC) and ortho-aminophenol (OAP) in a MeOH/H2O medium was assessed by means of the Michaelis-Menten model. Catalysts comprising imidazole-containing ligands and/or a six-membered chelate ring proved to be more efficient in both oxidation reactions. Determination of stability constants and electrochemical parameters of the copper complexes supported the explanation of the catalytic behavior. A catalytic cycle similar for both reactions has been proposed. The results of density functional theory (DFT) free energy calculations for all five complexes and both catalytic reactions agree with the experimental results.

Structure-directing role of CH⋯X (X = C, N, S, Cl) interactions in three ionic cobalt complexes: X-ray investigation and DFT study using QTAIM Vr predictor to eliminate the effect of pure Coulombic forces

Three cobalt complexes, namely [CoIII(HL1)2(N3)2]ClO4 (1), [CoIII(L2)(HL2)(N3)]ClO4·1.5H2O (2), and [CoIII(L3)(HL3)(NCS)]2 [CoIICl2(NCS)2] (3), where HL1 = 2-(3-(dimethylamino)propyliminomethyl)-6-methoxyphenol, HL2 = 2-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyliminomethyl)-4,6-dichlorophenol, and HL3 = 2-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyliminomethyl)-6-methoxyphenol, as potential tridentate N2O-donor Schiff base ligands, were synthesized and characterized using elemental analysis, IR and UV-vis spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. All three were found to be monomeric ionic complexes. Complex 1 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbcn, whereas both complexes 2 and 3 crystallize in triclinic space groups, P1̄. Further, 1 and 2 are cationic complexes of octahedral cobalt(iii) with perchlorate anions, whereas complex 3 contains a cationic part of octahedral cobalt(iii) and an anionic part of tetrahedral cobalt(ii). Hydrogen-bonding interactions involving aromatic and aliphatic CH bonds as H-bond donors and the pseudo-halide co-ligands as H-bond acceptors were established, which are important aspects governing the X-ray packing. These interactions were analyzed theoretically using the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and non-covalent interaction plot (NCI plot) analyses. Moreover, energy decomposition analysis (EDA) was performed to analyze the stabilization of the complexes in terms of the electrostatic, dispersion, and correlation forces.

Deciphering the effect of amine versus imine ligands of copper(II) complexes in 2-aminophenol oxidation

A series of amine (1-6) and imine (5',6') based copper(II) complexes with tridentate (NNO) ligand donors were synthesized and characterized using modern analytical techniques. All the complexes were subjected to 2-aminophenol (OAP) oxidation to form 2-aminophenoxazin-3-one, as a functional analogue of an enzyme, phenoxazinone synthase. In addition, a critical comparison of the reactivity using the amine-based complexes with their respective imine counterparts was achieved in both experimental as well as theoretical studies. For instance, the kinetic measurement revealed that the imine-based copper(II) complexes (kcat, 2.4 × 105-6.2 × 106 h-1) are better than amine-based (kcat, 6.3 × 104-3.9 × 105 h-1) complexes. The complex-substrate adducts [Cu(L3)(OAP)] (7) and [Cu(L3')(OAP)] (7') were characterized for both systems by mass spectrometry. Further, the DFT study was performed with amine- (3) and imine- (3') based copper(II) complexes, to compare their efficacy in the oxidation of OAP. The mechanistic investigations reveal that the key elementary step to determine the reactivity of 3 and 3' is the proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) step occurring from the intermediates 7/7'. Further, the computed HOMO-LUMO energy gap of 7' was smaller than 7 by 0.8 eV, which indicates the facile PCET compared to that of 7. Moreover, the coupling of the OAP moiety using imine-complexes (ΔGR.E = -5.8 kcal/mol) was found to be thermodynamically more favorable than amine complexes (ΔGR.E = +3.3 kcal/mol). Overall, the theoretical findings are in good agreement with the experimental results.

Phenoxazinone Synthase-like Activity of Rationally Designed Heme Enzymes Based on Myoglobin

The design of functional metalloenzymes is attractive for the biosynthesis of biologically important compounds, such as phenoxazinones and phenazines catalyzed by native phenoxazinone synthase (PHS). To design functional heme enzymes, we used myoglobin (Mb) as a model protein and introduced an artificial CXXC motif into the heme distal pocket by F46C and L49C mutations, which forms a de novo disulfide bond, as confirmed by the X-ray crystal structure. We further introduced a catalytic Tyr43 into the heme distal pocket and found that the F43Y/F46C/L49C Mb triple mutant and the previously designed F43Y/F46S Mb exhibit PHS-like activity (80-98% yields in 5-15 min), with the catalytic efficiency exceeding those of natural metalloenzymes, including o-aminophenol oxidase, laccase, and dye-decolorizing peroxidase. Moreover, we showed that the oxidative coupling product of 1,6-disulfonic-2,7-diaminophenazine is a potential pH indicator, with the orange-magenta color change at pH 4-5 (pK_a = 4.40). Therefore, this study indicates that functional heme enzymes can be rationally designed by structural modifications of Mb, exhibiting the functionality of the native PHS for green biosynthesis.

Comparison of mononuclear and dinuclear copper(II) biomimetic complexes: spectroelectrochemical mechanistic study of their catalytic pathways

Two catecholase-like biomimetic catalysts, namely, two dinuclear copper complexes [Cu₂(L1)(OH)(H₂O)(EtOH)][ClO₄]₂ (C1) and [Cu₂Ac₂O(L1)ClO₄] (C2) with the 2,6-bis(4-methyl piperazin-1-yl-methyl)-4-formyl-phenoxy ligand (L1) together with the mononuclear complex Cu(ClO₄)₂(L2) (C3) containing ligand 1,2-(C₅H₄N-6-OCH₃-2-CHN)₂CH₂CH₂ (L2), were synthesized. Their catalytic pathways were investigated and compared. The evaluation of the catalytic activity of compound C1 (and C2, C3) using the Michaelis-Menten model was represented by values of K_M = 272.93 (223.02; 1616) μmol L^-1 and V_max of 0.981 (1.617; 1.689) μmol L^-1 s^-1. The role of water content in the solvent is also discussed. The dinuclear complexes C1 and C2 were found to be more efficient catalysts than mononuclear complex C3. The mode of catalytic action was characterized via cyclic voltammetry, spectrophotometry, and UV-Vis spectroelectrochemistry. The catalytic mechanism of 3,5-di-tert butyl catechol oxidation in the presence of oxygen was proposed. The reaction circle was proved by the confirmation of the chemical reversibility of complex reduction. The advantage of the in situ spectroelectrochemical measurement enabled to control the reduction of quinone formed by the chemical reaction of catechol with oxygen in solution. At this step, the simultaneous change in the absorption spectrum indicated a change in the copper redox state of the catalyst.

Equilibrium Studies of Iron (III) Complexes with Either Pyrazine, Quinoxaline, or Phenazine and Their Catecholase Activity in Methanol

Currently, catalysts with oxidative activity are required to create valuable chemical, agrochemical, and pharmaceutical products. The catechol oxidase activity is a model reaction that can reveal new oxidative catalysts. The use of complexes as catalysts using iron (III) and structurally simple ligands such as pyrazine (pz), quinoxaline (qx), and phenazine (fz) has not been fully explored. To characterize the composition of the solution and identify the abundant species which were used to catalyze the catechol oxidation, the distribution diagrams of these species were obtained by an equilibrium study using a modified Job method in the HypSpec software. This allows to obtain also the UV-vis spectra calculated and the formation constants for the mononuclear and binuclear complexes with Fe³⁺ including: [Fe(pz)]³⁺, [Fe₂(pz)]⁶⁺, [Fe(qx)]³⁺, [Fe₂(qx)]⁶⁺, [Fe(fz)]³⁺, and [Fe₂(fz)]⁶⁺. The formation constants obtained were log β₁₁₀ = 3.2 ± 0.1, log β₂₁₀ = 6.9 ± 0.1, log β₁₁₀ = 4.4 ± 0.1, log β₂₁₀ = 8.3 ± 0.1, log β₁₁₀ = 6.4 ± 0.2, and log β₂₁₀ = 9.9 ± 0.2, respectively. The determination of the catechol oxidase activity for these complexes did not follow a traditional Michaelis–Menten behavior.

New copper(II) μ-Alkoxo-μ-carboxylato double-bridged complexes as models for the active site of catechol oxidase: Synthesis, spectral characterization and DFT calculations

A series of four copper(II) μ-Alkoxo-μ-carboxylato double bridged complexes, [{Cu₂(L)}₂][(μ–O₂C–CO₂] 1, [{Cu₂(L)}₂(μ–O₂C–(CH₂)CO₂] 2, [{Cu₂(L)}₂(μ–O₂C–CH₂–CO₂] 3 and [{Cu₂(L)}₂(μ–O₂C–C₆H₄–CO₂] 4 (H₃L = 4-bromo-2-((E)-((3-(((E)-5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzylidene) amino)-2-hydroxypropyl) imino) methyl)-6-methoxyphenol and μ-dicarboxylate ions = oxalate, malonate, succinate and terephthalate) have been synthesized and characterized using several physicochemical techniques. The tridentate nature of H₃L is interpreted from IR spectra. The Epr spectra of these complexes are characteristic of the quintet state (S = 2) in central features and the triplet state (S = 1) of these tetranuclear complexes. The electrochemical potential of these complexes was investigated using CV (cyclic voltammetry) and DPV (differential pulse voltammetry). All complexes showed quasi reversible reduction peaks in the cathodic region. To explore the stability of these complexes, quantum chemical parameters like electronegativity, ionization potential, electron affinity, global hardness and softness, and electrophilicity were estimated and discussed. The synthesized complexes have been designed as structural and functional models of the catechol oxidase enzymes to investigate the catecholase activity. Additionally, superoxide dismutase activity data of all complexes have also been evaluated and compared with known SOD mimics.

Mono Versus Dinuclear Vanadium(V) Complexes: Solvent Dependent Structural Versatility and Electro Syntheses of Mixed-Valence Oxovanadium(IV/V) Entities in Solution

Two mononuclear oxidovanadium(V) complexes type of [V^VO(L¹)(OMe)(MeOH)] (1), [V^VO(L²)(OMe)(MeOH)] (2) and two [V₂O₃]⁴⁺ core of μ-oxidodioxidodivanadium(V) complexes (L¹)(O)V^V-O-V^V(O)(L¹) (3) and (L²)(O)V^V-O-V^V(O)(L²) (4) and two complexes [V^VO(L¹)(8-Hq)] (5) and [V^VO(L²)(8-Hq)] (6) incorporating 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-hq) as co-ligand have been reported where L¹ [(E)-N'-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)cinnamohydrazide] and L² [(2E,N'E)-N'-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-3-(naphthalen-1-yl)acrylohydrazide] are the dianionic forms of the conjugated keto-imine functionalized substituted hydrazone ligands. The μ-oxidodioxidodivanadium complexes are generated upon switching the solvent from methanol to acetonitrile. The X-ray analysis showed octahedral geometry for the mononuclear complexes 1, 2 and 5 but oxido-bridged dinuclear complexes 3 and 4 formed penta-coordinated square-pyramidal geometry about metal atoms. Two mixed-valence species of type II, 3a and 4a, of general formulae (L)(O)V^IV-O-V^V(O)(L), are being generated upon constant potential electrolysis (CPE) of 3 and 4 respectively. Frozen solution EPR spectra have 13 hyperfine lines, revealing the unpaired electron is majorly localized on one of the two vanadium centres. All these complexes have been well characterized by physio-chemical techniques and the density functional theory (DFT) calculations were applied to obtain further insight into the electronic structure of this type of molecule. The oxidomethoxido complexes 1 and 2 were taken to investigate the catechol oxidase mimicking activity following the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butyl catechol (3,5-DTBC) to 3,5-di-tert-butyl benzoquinone (3,5-DTBQ).

Synthesis and crystal structures of two tri- and tetra-heterometallic Ni(ii)–Mn(ii)/Ni(ii)–Co(iii) complexes from two different Ni(ii)-containing metalloligands: effective catalytic oxidase activity and Schottky device approach

The development of tri- and tetra-nuclear heterometallic Ni(ii)–Mn(ii)/Ni(ii)–Co(iii) complexes with effective catalytic oxidase activity and the Schottky device approach.

Mononuclear copper(ii) Schiff base complexes as effective models for phenoxazinone synthase

Copper(ii) complexes of tridentate (N2O) Schiff base ligands as efficient catalysts for 2-aminophenol oxidation to 2-aminophenoxazin-3-one with excellent reaction rates.

Recent advances in catalytic oxidative reactions of phenols and naphthalenols

This critical review aims to provide an overview of oxidative phenol and naphthalenol transformations in nature and synthetic chemistry.

Pentanuclear MII–MnII (M = Ni and Cu) complexes of N2O2 donor ligands with a variation of carboxylate anions: syntheses, structures, magnetic properties and catecholase-like activities

One NiII2MnII3 and two CuII2MnII3 complexes have been synthesized using N2O2 donor ligands. The former complex exhibits spin crossover at 2 K temperature. All the complexes exhibit catecholase-like activities.

High phenoxazinone synthase activity of two mononuclear cis-dichloro cobalt(ii) complexes with a rigid pyridyl scaffold

Two mononuclear cis-dichloro cobalt(II) complexes with bidentate pyridyl ligands have been successfully synthesized and employed as active o-aminophenol oxidation catalysts resulting in high turnover numbers under aerobic conditions.

Design, synthesis, structural, spectral, and redox properties and phenoxazinone synthase activity of tripodal pentacoordinate Mn(II) complexes with impressive turnover numbers

Catechol oxidase (CO) and phenoxazinone synthase (PHS) are two enzymes of immense significance due to their capability to oxidize catechols and o-aminophenols to o-quinones and phenoxazinones, respectively. In this connection two mononuclear manganese complexes with the molecular framework [Mn^II(Ln)Cl]Cl {L1: tris((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)methyl)amine; n = 1 and L2: tris(N-methylbenzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)amine; n = 2} have been designed to be potential catalysts for OAPH (o-aminophenol) oxidation. Both the ligands and their corresponding metal complexes have been successfully synthesized and thoroughly characterized by different spectroscopic and analytical techniques such as FT-IR, ¹H NMR, UV-vis spectroscopy, EPR spectroscopy and ESI mass spectroscopy. The molecular structures of [Mn^II(L1)Cl]Cl (1) and [Mn^II(L2)Cl]Cl (2) have been revealed by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. The spectral properties and redox behaviour of both the complexes were examined. Under ambient conditions, 1 and 2 show excellent phenoxazinone synthase activity as both are very susceptible to oxidize o-aminophenol to phenoxazinone. The kinetic parameters for both complexes have been determined by analyzing the experimental spectroscopic data. The turnover numbers (k_cat value) of these two complexes are extremely high, 440 h^-1 and 234 h^-1 for 1 and 2, respectively. The present report offers a thorough overview of information involving the role of the metal ions and their extent of phenoxazinone synthase mimicking activity. The oxidation of o-aminophenol to 2-amino-3H-phenoxazine-3-one (APX) by catalytic oxidation of oxygen (O₂) by the reaction with transition metal complexes has been an important study for the last few decades. The current study evidently showed better performance of our synthesized Mn(II) complexes than all the predecessors. The plausible mechanism has been reiterated based on the experimental data via ESI-MS spectra and considering the concepts from the previously reported mechanisms involved in the formation of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) as an intermediate substrate is fairly indicating the involvement of molecular oxygen in the catalytic cycle.

Effects of Constant Electric Field on Biodegradation of Phenol by Free and Immobilized Cells of Bradyrhizobium japonicum 273

It is shown that bacteria Bradyrhizobium japonicum 273 were capable of degrading phenol at moderate concentrations either in a free cell culture or by immobilized cells on granulated activated carbon particles. The amount of degraded phenol was greater in an immobilized cell preparation than in a free culture. The application of a constant electric field during cultivation led to enhanced phenol biodegradation in a free culture and in immobilized cells on granulated activated carbon. The highest phenol removal efficiency was observed for an anode potential of 1.0 V/S.H.E. The effect was better pronounced in a free culture. The enzyme activities of free cells for phenol oxidation and benzene ring cleavage were very sensitive to the anode potential in the first two steps of the metabolic pathway of phenol biodegradation catalyzed by phenol hydroxylase—catechol-1,2-dioxygenase and catechol-2,3-dioxygenase. It was observed that at an anode potential of 0.8 V/S.H.E., the meta-pathway of cleavage of the benzene ring catalyzed by catechol-2,3-dioxygenase became competitive with the ortho-pathway, catalyzed by catechol-1,2-dioxygenase. The obtained results showed that the positive effect of constant electric field on phenol biodegradation was rather due to electric stimulation of enzyme activity than electrochemical anode oxidation.