A Six-Coordinate Peroxynitrite Low-Spin Iron(III) Porphyrinate Complex-The Product of the Reaction of Nitrogen Monoxide (·NO(g)) with a Ferric-Superoxide Species

A Cytochrome P450 TxtE Model System with Mechanistic and Theoretical Evidence for a Heme Peroxynitrite Active Species

The cytochrome P450 homolog, TxtE, efficiently catalyzes the direct and regioselective aromatic nitration of the indolyl moiety of L-tryptophan to 4-nitro-L-tryptophan, using nitric oxide (NO) and dioxygen (O2) as co-substrates. Pathways for such direct and selective nitration of heteroaromatic motifs present platforms for engineering new nitration biocatalysts for pharmacologically beneficial targets, among a medley of other pivotal industrial applications. Precise mechanistic details concerning this pathway are only weakly understood, albeit a heme iron(III)-peroxynitrite active species has been postulated. To shed light on this unique reaction landscape, we investigated the indole nitration pathway of a series of biomimetic ferric heme superoxide mimics, [(Por)FeIII(O2 -⋅)], in the presence of NO. Therein, our model systems gave rise to three distinct nitroindole products, including 4-nitroindole, the product analogous to that obtained with TxtE. Moreover, 15N and 18O isotope labeling studies, along with meticulously designed control experiments lend credence to a heme peroxynitrite active nitrating agent, drawing close similarities to the tryptophan nitration mechanism of TxtE. All organic and inorganic reaction components have been fully characterized using spectroscopic methods. Theoretical investigation into several mechanistic possibilities deem a unique indolyl radical based reaction pathway as the most energetically favorable, products of which, are in excellent agreement with experimental findings.

Neutrophil-Mimicking Nanozyme with Cascade Catalytic Releasing Nitric Oxide and Signet Oxygen Property for Synergistic Bimodal Therapy of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infections

Recently, chloroperoxidase (CPO)-mediated enzyme dynamic therapy (EDT) by mimicking the antipathogen function of neutrophils via generating highly active signet oxygen (1O2) has attracted great interest in biomedical applications. However, the therapeutic efficiency of EDT is largely restricted by the low CPO delivery efficiency and insufficient hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) supply. In the present work, a neutrophil-mimicking nanozyme of MGBC with high CPO delivery efficiency, H2O2 self-supply, and enzyme-cascade catalytic properties is designed for high-efficient treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. In the infection microenvironment, MGBC can effectively catalyze glucose to self-supply substantial H2O2, which enables long-lasting 1O2 generation via the CPO-mediated catalytic reaction. At the meantime, MGBC can also catalyze H2O2 to sustainably release NO for gas therapy (GT), which synergistically strengthens the therapeutic effect of EDT. As a result, MGBC displayed effective MRSA-killing and MSRA biofilms-eradicating properties, and high efficiency in treating both MRSA infected full-thickness excision wounds and subcutaneous MRSA infection by exerting the synergistic bimodal EDT/GT therapeutic effects. In-depth mechanism study revealed that the synergistic EDT/GT antibacterial effects of MGBC can attenuate the drug resistance and toxicity of MRSA by significantly downregulating quorum sensing, multidrug efflux, virulence, and biofilm formation-related genes.

Mechanism of Peroxynitrite Interaction with Ferric M. tuberculosis Nitrobindin: A Computational Study

Nitrobindins (Nbs) are all-β-barrel heme proteins present along the evolutionary ladder. They display a highly solvent-exposed ferric heme group with the iron atom being coordinated by the proximal His residue and a water molecule at the distal position. Ferric nitrobindins (Nb(III)) play a role in the conversion of toxic peroxynitrite (ONOO-) to harmless nitrate, with the value of the second-order rate constant being similar to those of most heme proteins. The value of the second-order rate constant of Nbs increases as the pH decreases; this suggests that Nb(III) preferentially reacts with peroxynitrous acid (ONOOH), although ONOO- is more nucleophilic. In this work, we shed light on the molecular basis of the ONOO- and ONOOH reactivity of ferric Mycobacterium tuberculosis Nb (Mt-Nb(III)) by dissecting the ligand migration toward the active site, the water molecule release, and the ligand binding process by computer simulations. Classical molecular dynamics simulations were performed by employing a steered molecular dynamics approach and the Jarzynski equality to obtain ligand migration free energy profiles for both ONOO- and ONOOH. Our results indicate that ONOO- and ONOOH migration is almost unhindered, consistent with the exposed metal center of Mt-Nb(III). To further analyze the ligand binding process, we computed potential energy profiles for the displacement of the Fe(III)-coordinated water molecule using a hybrid QM/MM scheme at the DFT level and a nudged elastic band approach. These results indicate that ONOO- exhibits a much larger barrier for ligand displacement than ONOOH, suggesting that water displacement is assisted by protonation of the leaving group by the incoming ONOOH.

Mechanistic insights into nitric oxide oxygenation (NOO) reactions of {CrNO}5 and {CoNO}8

Here, we report the nitric oxide oxygenation (NOO) reactions of two distinct metal nitrosyls {Co-nitrosyl (S = 0) vs. Cr-nitrosyl (S = 1/2)}. In this regard, we synthesized and characterized [(BPMEN)Co(NO)]2+ ({CoNO}8, 1) to compare its NOO reaction with that of [(BPMEN)Cr(NO)(Cl-)]+ ({CrNO}5, 2), having a similar ligand framework. Kinetic measurements showed that {CrNO}5 is thermally more stable than {CoNO}8. Complexes 1 and 2, upon reaction with the superoxide anion (O2˙-), generate [(BPMEN)CoII(NO2-)2] (CoII-NO2-, 3) and [(BPMEN)CrIII(NO2-)Cl-]+ (CrIII-NO2-, 4), respectively, with O2 evolution. Furthermore, analysis of these NOO reactions and tracking of the N-atom using 15N-labeled NO (15NO) revealed that the N-atoms of 3 (CoII-15NO2-) and 4 (CrIII-15NO2-) derive from the nitrosyl (15NO) moieties of 1 and 2, respectively. This work represents a comparative study of oxidation reactions of {CoNO}8vs. {CrNO}5, showing different rates of the NOO reactions due to different thermal stability. To complete the NOM cycle, we reacted 3 and 4 with NO, and surprisingly, only 3 generated {CoNO}8 species, while 4 was unreactive towards NO. Furthermore, the phenol ring nitration test, performed using 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (2,4-DTBP), suggested the presence of a proposed peroxynitrite (PN) intermediate in the NOO reactions of 1 and 2.

Ligand Control of Dinitrosyl Iron Complexes for Selective Superoxide-Mediated Nitric Oxide Monooxygenation and Superoxide-Dioxygen Interconversion

Through nitrosylation of [Fe-S] proteins, or the chelatable iron pool, a dinitrosyl iron unit (DNIU) [Fe(NO)2] embedded in the form of low-molecular-weight/protein-bound dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs) was discovered as a metallocofactor assembled under inflammatory conditions with elevated levels of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide (O2-). In an attempt to gain biomimetic insights into the unexplored transformations of the DNIU under inflammation, we investigated the reactivity toward O2- by a series of DNICs [(NO)2Fe(μ-MePyr)2Fe(NO)2] (1) and [(NO)2Fe(μ-SEt)2Fe(NO)2] (3). During the superoxide-induced conversion of DNIC 1 into DNIC [(K-18-crown-6-ether)2(NO2)][Fe(μ-MePyr)4(μ-O)2(Fe(NO)2)4] (2-K-crown) and a [Fe3+(MePyr)x(NO2)y(O)z]n adduct, stoichiometric NO monooxygenation yielding NO2- occurs without the transient formation of peroxynitrite-derived •OH/•NO2 species. To study the isoelectronic reaction of O2(g) and one-electron-reduced DNIC 1, a DNIC featuring an electronically localized {Fe(NO)2}9-{Fe(NO)2}10 electronic structure, [K-18-crown-6-ether][(NO)2Fe(μ-MePyr)2Fe(NO)2] (1-red), was successfully synthesized and characterized. Oxygenation of DNIC 1-red leads to the similar assembly of DNIC 2-K-crown, of which the electronic structure is best described as paramagnetic with weak antiferromagnetic coupling among the four S = 1/2 {FeIII(NO-)2}9 units and S = 5/2 Fe3+ center. In contrast to DNICs 1 and 1-red, DNICs 3 and [K-18-crown-6-ether][(NO)2Fe(μ-SEt)2Fe(NO)2] (3-red) display a reversible equilibrium of "3 + O2- ⇋ 3-red + O2(g)", which is ascribed to the covalent [Fe(μ-SEt)2Fe] core and redox-active [Fe(NO)2] unit. Based on this study, the supporting/bridging ligands in dinuclear DNIC 1/3 (or 1-red/3-red) control the selective monooxygenation of NO and redox interconversion between O2- and O2 during reaction with O2- (or O2).

Why Intermolecular Nitric Oxide (NO) Transfer? Exploring the Factors and Mechanistic Aspects of NO Transfer Reaction

Small molecule activation & their transfer reactions in biological or catalytic reactions are greatly influenced by the metal-centers and the ligand frameworks. Here, we report the metal-directed nitric oxide (NO)...

The Biologically Relevant Coordination Chemistry of Iron and Nitric Oxide: Electronic Structure and Reactivity

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule that is involved in a wide range of physiological and pathological events in biology. Metal coordination chemistry, especially with iron, is at the heart of many biological transformations involving NO. A series of heme proteins, nitric oxide synthases (NOS), soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), and nitrophorins, are responsible for the biosynthesis, sensing, and transport of NO. Alternatively, NO can be generated from nitrite by heme- and copper-containing nitrite reductases (NIRs). The NO-bearing small molecules such as nitrosothiols and dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs) can serve as an alternative vehicle for NO storage and transport. Once NO is formed, the rich reaction chemistry of NO leads to a wide variety of biological activities including reduction of NO by heme or non-heme iron-containing NO reductases and protein post-translational modifications by DNICs. Much of our understanding of the reactivity of metal sites in biology with NO and the mechanisms of these transformations has come from the elucidation of the geometric and electronic structures and chemical reactivity of synthetic model systems, in synergy with biochemical and biophysical studies on the relevant proteins themselves. This review focuses on recent advancements from studies on proteins and model complexes that not only have improved our understanding of the biological roles of NO but also have provided foundations for biomedical research and for bio-inspired catalyst design in energy science.

Bio-inspired nitrogen oxide (NOx) interconversion reactivities of synthetic heme Compound-I and Compound-II intermediates

Dioxygen activating heme enzymes have long predicted to be powerhouses for nitrogen oxide interconversion, especially for nitric oxide (NO) oxidation which has far-reaching biological and/or environmental impacts. Lending credence, reactivity of NO with high-valent heme‑oxygen intermediates of globin proteins has recently been implicated in the regulation of a variety of pivotal physiological events such as modulating catalytic activities of various heme enzymes, enhancing antioxidant activity to inhibit oxidative damage, controlling inflammatory and infectious properties within the local heme environments, and NO scavenging. To reveal insights into such crucial biological processes, we have investigated low temperature NO reactivities of two classes of synthetic high-valent heme intermediates, Compound-II and Compound-I. In that, Compound-II rapidly reacts with NO yielding the six-coordinate (NO bound) heme ferric nitrite complex, which upon warming to room temperature converts into the five-coordinate heme ferric nitrite species. These ferric nitrite complexes mediate efficient substrate oxidation reactions liberating NO; i.e., shuttling NO₂^- back to NO. In contrast, Compound-I and NO proceed through an oxygen-atom transfer process generating the strong nitrating agent NO₂, along with the corresponding ferric nitrosyl species that converts to the naked heme ferric parent complex upon warmup. All reaction components have been fully characterized by UV-vis, ²H NMR and EPR spectroscopic methods, mass spectrometry, elemental analyses, and semi-quantitative determination of NO₂^- anions. The clean, efficient, potentially catalytic NO_x interconversions driven by high-valent heme species presented herein illustrate the strong prospects of a heme enzyme/O₂/NO_x dependent unexplored territory that is central to human physiology, pathology, and therapeutics.

Proton-coupled electron transfer reactivities of electronically divergent heme superoxide intermediates: a kinetic, thermodynamic, and theoretical study

Heme superoxides are one of the most versatile metallo-intermediates in biology, and they mediate a vast variety of oxidation and oxygenation reactions involving O2(g). Overall proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) processes they facilitate may proceed via several different mechanistic pathways, attributes of which are not yet fully understood. Herein we present a detailed investigation into concerted PCET events of a series of geometrically similar, but electronically disparate synthetic heme superoxide mimics, where unprecedented, PCET feasibility-determining electronic effects of the heme center have been identified. These electronic factors firmly modulate both thermodynamic and kinetic parameters that are central to PCET, as supported by our experimental and theoretical observations. Consistently, the most electron-deficient superoxide adduct shows the strongest driving force for PCET, whereas the most electron-rich system remains unreactive. The pivotal role of these findings in understanding significant heme systems in biology, as well as in alternative energy applications is also discussed.

Ferric Heme Superoxide Reductive Transformations to Ferric Heme (Hydro)Peroxide Species: Spectroscopic Characterization and Thermodynamic Implications for H-Atom Transfer (HAT)

A new end-on low-spin ferric heme peroxide, [(PIm )FeIII -(O22- )]- (PIm -P), and subsequently formed hydroperoxide species, [(PIm )FeIII -(OOH)] (PIm -HP) are generated utilizing the iron-porphyrinate PIm with its tethered axial base imidazolyl group. Measured thermodynamic parameters, the ferric heme superoxide [(PIm )FeIII -(O2⋅- )] (PIm -S) reduction potential (E°') and the PIm -HP pKa value, lead to the finding of the OO-H bond-dissociation free energy (BDFE) of PIm -HP as 69.5 kcal mol-1 using a thermodynamic square scheme and Bordwell relationship. The results are validated by the observed oxidizing ability of PIm -S via hydrogen-atom transfer (HAT) compared to that of the F8 superoxide complex, [(F8 )FeIII -(O2.- )] (S) (F8 =tetrakis(2,6-difluorophenyl)porphyrinate, without an internally appended axial base imidazolyl), as determined from reactivity comparison of superoxide complexes PIm -S and S with the hydroxylamine (O-H) substrates TEMPO-H and ABNO-H.

Nitric Oxide Dioxygenation by O2 Adducts of Manganese Porphyrins

We describe here nitric oxide dioxygenation (NOD) by the dioxygen manganese porphyrin adducts Mn(Por)(η²-O₂) (Por^2- = the meso-tetra-phenyl or meso-tetra-p-tolylporphyrinato dianions, TPP^2- and TTP^2-). The Mn(Por)(η²-O₂) was assembled by adding O₂ to sublimed layers of Mn^II(Por). When NO was introduced and the temperature was slowly raised from 80 to 120 K, new IR bands with correlated intensities grew concomitant with depletion of the υ(O₂) band. Isotope labeling experiments with ¹⁸O₂, ¹⁵NO, and N¹⁸O combined with DFT calculations provide the basis for identifying the initial intermediates as the six-coordinate peroxynitrito complexes (ON)Mn(Por)(η¹-OONO). Further warming to room temperature led to formation of the nitrato complexes Mn(Por)(η¹-ONO₂), thereby demonstrating the ability of these metal centers to promote NOD. However, comparable quantities of the nitrito complexes Mn(Por)(η¹-ONO) are also formed. In contrast, when the analogous reactions were initiated with the weak σ-donor ligand tetrahydrofuran or dimethyl sulfide present in the layers, formation of Mn(Por)(η¹-ONO₂) is strongly favored (∼90%). The latter are formed via a 6-coordinate intermediate (L)Mn(Por)(η¹-ONO₂) (L = THF or DMS) that loses L upon warming. These reaction patterns are compared to those observed previously with analogous iron and cobalt porphyrin complexes.

Ambiphilicity of a mononuclear cobalt(III) superoxo complex

Addition of HOTf to a mixture of CoIII(BDPP)(O2˙) (1, H2BDPP = 2,6-bis((2-(S)-diphenylhydroxylmethyl-1-pyrrolidinyl)methyl)pyridine) and Cp*2Fe produced H2O2 in high yield implying formation of CoIII(BDPP)(OOH) (3), and reaction of Sc(OTf)3 with the same mixture gave a peroxo-bridged CoIII/ScIII5. These findings demonstrate the ambiphilic property of CoIII-superoxo 1.

Catalytic Mechanism of Aromatic Nitration by Cytochrome P450 TxtE: Involvement of a Ferric-Peroxynitrite Intermediate

The cytochromes P450 are heme-dependent enzymes that catalyze many vital reaction processes in the human body related to biodegradation and biosynthesis. They typically act as mono-oxygenases; however, the recently discovered P450 subfamily TxtE utilizes O₂ and NO to nitrate aromatic substrates such as L-tryptophan. A direct and selective aromatic nitration reaction may be useful in biotechnology for the synthesis of drugs or small molecules. Details of the catalytic mechanism are unknown, and it has been suggested that the reaction should proceed through either an iron(III)-superoxo or an iron(II)-nitrosyl intermediate. To resolve this controversy, we used stopped-flow kinetics to provide evidence for a catalytic cycle where dioxygen binds prior to NO to generate an active iron(III)-peroxynitrite species that is able to nitrate l-Trp efficiently. We show that the rate of binding of O₂ is faster than that of NO and also leads to l-Trp nitration, while little evidence of product formation is observed from the iron(II)-nitrosyl complex. To support the experimental studies, we performed density functional theory studies on large active site cluster models. The studies suggest a mechanism involving an iron(III)-peroxynitrite that splits homolytically to form an iron(IV)-oxo heme (Compound II) and a free NO₂ radical via a small free energy of activation. The latter activates the substrate on the aromatic ring, while compound II picks up the ipso-hydrogen to form the product. The calculations give small reaction barriers for most steps in the catalytic cycle and, therefore, predict fast product formation from the iron(III)-peroxynitrite complex. These findings provide the first detailed insight into the mechanism of nitration by a member of the TxtE subfamily and highlight how the enzyme facilitates this novel reaction chemistry.

A Manganese(IV)-Hydroperoxo Intermediate Generated by Protonation of the Corresponding Manganese(III)-Superoxo Complex

Earlier work revealed that metal-superoxo species primarily function as radicals and/or electrophiles. Herein, we present ambiphilicity of a Mn^III-superoxo complex revealed by its proton- and metal-coupled electron-transfer processes. Specifically, a Mn^IV-hydroperoxo intermediate, [Mn(BDP^BrP)(OOH)]⁺ (1, H₂BDP^BrP = 2,6-bis((2-(S)-di(4-bromo)phenylhydroxylmethyl-1-pyrrolidinyl)methyl)pyridine) was generated by treatment of a Mn^III-superoxo complex, Mn(BDP^BrP)(O₂^•) (2) with trifluoroacetic acid at -120 °C. Detailed insights into the electronic structure of 1 are obtained using resonance Raman and multi-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies coupled with density functional theory calculations. Similarly, the reaction of 2 with scandium(III) triflate was shown to give a Mn(IV)/Sc(III) bridging peroxo species, [Mn(BDP^BrP)(OO)Sc(OTf)_n]^(3-n)+ (4). Furthermore, it is found that deprotonation of 1 quantitatively regenerates 2, and that one-electron oxidation of the corresponding Mn^III-hydroperoxo species, Mn(BDP^BrP)(OOH) (3), also yields 1.

Ferric nitrosylated myoglobin catalyzes peroxynitrite scavenging

Myoglobin (Mb), generally taken as the molecular model of monomeric globular heme-proteins, is devoted: (i) to act as an intracellular oxygen reservoir, (ii) to transport oxygen from the sarcolemma to the mitochondria of vertebrate heart and red muscle cells, and (iii) to act as a scavenger of nitrogen and oxygen reactive species protecting mitochondrial respiration. Here, the first evidence of ^·NO inhibition of ferric Mb- (Mb(III)) mediated detoxification of peroxynitrite is reported, at pH 7.2 and 20.0 °C. ^·NO binds to Mb(III) with a simple equilibrium; the value of the second-order rate constant for Mb(III) nitrosylation (i.e., ^·NOk_on) is (6.8 ± 0.7) × 10⁴ M^-1 s^-1 and the value of the first-order rate constant for Mb(III)-NO denitrosylation (i.e., ^·NOk_off) is 3.1 ± 0.3 s^-1. The calculated value of the dissociation equilibrium constant for Mb(III)-NO complex formation (i.e., ^·NOk_off/^·NOk_on = (4.6 ± 0.7) × 10^-5 M) is virtually the same as that directly measured (i.e., ^·NOK = (3.8 ± 0.5) × 10^-5 M). In the absence of ^·NO, Mb(III) catalyzes the conversion of peroxynitrite to NO₃^-, the value of the second-order rate constant (i.e., ^Pk_on) being (1.9 ± 0.2) × 10⁴ M^-1 s^-1. However, in the presence of ^·NO, Mb(III)-mediated detoxification of peroxynitrite is only partially inhibited, underlying the possibility that also Mb(III)-NO is able to catalyze the peroxynitrite isomerization, though with a reduced rate (^Pk_on* = (2.8 ± 0.3) × 10³ M^-1 s^-1). These data expand the multiple roles of ^·NO in modulating heme-protein actions, envisaging a delicate balancing between peroxynitrite and ^·NO, which is modulated through the relative amount of Mb(III) and Mb(III)-NO.

Heme-FeIII Superoxide, Peroxide and Hydroperoxide Thermodynamic Relationships: FeIII-O2•- Complex H-Atom Abstraction Reactivity

Establishing redox and thermodynamic relationships between metal-ion-bound O2 and its reduced (and protonated) derivatives is critically important for a full understanding of (bio)chemical processes involving dioxygen processing. Here, a ferric heme peroxide complex, [(F8)FeIII-(O22-)]- (P) (F8 = tetrakis(2,6-difluorophenyl)porphyrinate), and a superoxide complex, [(F8)FeIII-(O2•-)] (S), are shown to be redox interconvertible. Using Cr(η-C6H6)2, an equilibrium state where S and P are present is established in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at -80 °C, allowing determination of the reduction potential of S as -1.17 V vs Fc+/0. P could be protonated with 2,6-lutidinium triflate, yielding the low-spin ferric hydroperoxide species, [(F8)FeIII-(OOH)] (HP). Partial conversion of HP back to P using a derivatized phosphazene base gave a P/HP equilibrium mixture, leading to the determination of pKa = 28.8 for HP (THF, -80 °C). With the measured reduction potential and pKa, the O-H bond dissociation free energy (BDFE) of hydroperoxide species HP was calculated to be 73.5 kcal/mol, employing the thermodynamic square scheme and Bordwell relationship. This calculated O-H BDFE of HP, in fact, lines up with an experimental demonstration of the oxidizing ability of S via hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from TEMPO-H (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperdine-N-hydroxide, BDFE = 66.5 kcal/mol in THF), forming the hydroperoxide species HP and TEMPO radical. Kinetic studies carried out with TEMPO-H(D) reveal second-order behavior, kH = 0.5, kD = 0.08 M-1 s-1 (THF, -80 °C); thus, the hydrogen/deuterium kinetic isotope effect (KIE) = 6, consistent with H-atom abstraction by S being the rate-determining step. This appears to be the first case where experimentally derived thermodynamics lead to a ferric heme hydroperoxide OO-H BDFE determination, that FeIII-OOH species being formed via HAT reactivity of the partner ferric heme superoxide complex.

Modeling Tryptophan/Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase with Heme Superoxide Mimics: Is Ferryl the Key Intermediate?

Tryptophan oxidation in biology has been recently implicated in a vast array of paramount pathogenic conditions in humans, including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, type-I diabetes, and cancer. This 2,3-dioxygenative cleavage of the indole ring of tryptophan with dioxygen is mediated by two heme enzymes, tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), during its conversion to N-formylkynurenine in the first and rate-limiting step of kynurenine pathway. Despite the pivotal significance of this enzymatic transformation, a vivid viewpoint of the precise mechanistic events is far from complete. A heme superoxide adduct is thought to be the active oxidant in both TDO and IDO, which, following O-O bond cleavage, presumably generates a key ferryl (Fe^IV=O) reaction intermediate. This study, for the first time in model chemistry, demonstrates the potential of synthetic heme superoxide adducts to mimic the bioinorganic chemistry of indole dioxygenation by TDO and IDO, challenging the widely accepted categorization of these metal adducts as weak oxidants. Herein, an electronically divergent series of ferric heme superoxo oxidants mediates the facile conversion of an array of indole substrates into their corresponding 2,3-dioxygenated products, while shedding light on an unequivocally occurring, putative ferryl intermediate. The oxygenated indole products have been isolated in ∼31% yield, and characterized by LC-MS, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, and FT-IR methodologies, as well as by ¹⁸O_2(g) labeling experiments. Distinctly, the most electron-deficient superoxo adduct is observed to react the fastest, specifically with the most electron-rich indole substrate, underscoring the cruciality of electrophilicity of the heme superoxide moiety in facilitating the initial indole activation step. Comprehensive understanding of such mechanistic subtleties will benefit future attempts in the rational design of salient therapeutic agents, including next generation anticancer drug targets with amplified effectivity.

Nitric oxide dioxygenation (NOD) reactions of CoIII-peroxo and NiIII-peroxo complexes: NODversusNO activation

A comparative study of “nitric oxide dioxygenationversusdioxygen or nitric oxide activation”.

A time-resolved near-infrared phosphorescent iridium(iii) complex for fast and highly specific peroxynitrite detection and bioimaging applications

Peroxynitrite (ONOO^-), one of the reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) found in vivo, plays crucial roles in many physiological and pathological processes. The ability to selectively and sensitively determine ONOO^-in vivo is important for the understanding of its biological roles. Thus, by utilizing the excellent chemical stability and photostability, high luminescence efficiency, and long luminescence lifetime of iridium complexes, we developed a novel near-infrared (NIR) phosphorescent iridium(iii) complex (FNO2) probe to detect ONOO^- within seconds. The probe FNO2 showed better selectivity towards ONOO^- over other interfering biomolecules, including O₂^- and ClO^-. Moreover, it possessed a long luminescence lifetime, which enabled successful elimination of the interference from background fluorescence in vitro (simulated by Rhodamine B) in time-resolved emission spectra. Finally, in addition to its low cytotoxicity, the probe FNO2 showed emission wavelength in the NIR region and was able to specifically sense ONOO^- induced in living cells and inflamed mouse models.

Heme-Cu Binucleating Ligand Supports Heme/O2 and FeII-CuI/O2 Reactivity Providing High- and Low-Spin FeIII-Peroxo-CuII Complexes

The focus of this study is in the description of synthetic heme/copper/O₂ chemistry employing a heme-containing binucleating ligand which provides a tridentate chelate for copper ion binding. The addition of O₂ (-80 °C, tetrahydrofuran (THF) solvent) to the reduced heme compound (P^ImH)Fe^II (1), gives the oxy-heme adduct, formally a heme-superoxide complex Fe^III-(O₂^•-) (2) (resonance Raman spectroscopy (rR): ν_O-O, 1171 cm^-1 (Δ¹⁸O₂, -61 cm^-1); ν_Fe-O, 575 cm^-1 (Δ¹⁸O₂, -24 cm^-1)). Simple warming of 2 to room temperature regenerates reduced complex 1; this reaction is reversible, as followed by UV-vis spectroscopy. Complex 2 is electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)-silent and exhibits upfield-shifted pyrrole resonances (δ 9.12 ppm) in ²H NMR spectroscopy, indicative of a six-coordinate low-spin heme. The coordination of the tethered imidazolyl arm to the heme-superoxide complex as an axial base ligand is suggested. We also report the new fully reduced heme-copper complex [(P^ImH)Fe^IICu^I]⁺ (3), where the copper ion is bound to the tethered tridentate portion of P^ImH. This reacts with O₂ to give a distinctive low-temperature-stable, high-spin (S = 2, overall) peroxo-bridged complex [(P^ImH)Fe^III-(O₂^2-)-Cu^II]⁺ (3a): λ_max, 420 (Soret), 545, 565 nm; δ_pyrr, 93 ppm; ν_O-O, 799 cm^-1 (Δ¹⁸O₂, -48 cm^-1); ν_Fe-O, 524 cm^-1 (Δ¹⁸O₂, -23 cm^-1). To 3a, the addition of dicyclohexylimidazole (DCHIm), which serves as a heme axial base, leads to low-spin (S = 0 overall) species complex [(DCHIm)(P^ImH)Fe^III-(O₂^2-)-Cu^II]⁺ (3b): λ_max, 425 (Soret), 538 nm; δ_pyrr, 10.2 ppm; ν_O-O, 817 cm^-1 (Δ¹⁸O₂, -55 cm^-1); ν_Fe-O, 610 cm^-1 (Δ¹⁸O₂, -26 cm^-1). These investigations into the characterization of the O₂-adducts from (P^ImH)Fe^II (1) with/without additional copper chelation advance our understanding of the dioxygen reactivity of heme-only and heme/Cu-ligand heterobinuclear system, thus potentially relevant to O₂ reduction in heme-copper oxidases or fuel-cell chemistry.

Copper(I) Complex Mediated Nitric Oxide Reductive Coupling: Ligand Hydrogen Bonding Derived Proton Transfer Promotes N2O(g) Release

A cuprous chelate bearing a secondary sphere hydrogen bonding functionality, [(PV-tmpa)Cu^I]⁺, transforms ^•NO_(g) to N₂O_(g) in high-yields in methanol. Ligand derived proton transfer facilitates N-O bond cleavage of a putative hyponitrite intermediate releasing N₂O_(g), underscoring the crucial balance between H-bonding capabilities and acidities in (bio)chemical ^•NO_(g) coupling systems.

Towards the understanding of the enzymatic cleavage of polyisoprene by the dihaem-dioxygenase RoxA

Utilization of polyisoprene (natural rubber) as a carbon source by Steroidobacter cummioxidans 35Y (previously Xanthomonas sp. strain 35Y) depends on the formation and secretion of rubber oxygenase A (RoxA). RoxA is a dioxygenase that cleaves polyisoprene to 12-oxo-4,8-dimethyl-trideca-4,8-diene-1-al (ODTD), a suitable growth substrate for S. cummioxidans. RoxA harbours two non-equivalent, spectroscopically distinguishable haem centres. A dioxygen molecule is bound to the N-terminal haem of RoxA and identifies this haem as the active site. In this study, we provide insights into the nature of this unusually stable dioxygen-haem coordination of RoxA by a re-evaluation of previously published together with newly obtained biophysical data on the cleavage of polyisoprene by RoxA. In combination with the meanwhile available structure of RoxA we are now able to explain several uncommon and previously not fully understood features of RoxA, the prototype of rubber oxygenases in Gram-negative rubber-degrading bacteria.

Direct Resonance Raman Characterization of a Peroxynitrito Copper Complex Generated from O2 and NO and Mechanistic Insights into Metal-Mediated Peroxynitrite Decomposition

We report the formation of a new copper peroxynitrite (PN) complex [Cu^II (TMG₃ tren)(κ¹ -OONO)]⁺ (PN1) from the reaction of [Cu^II (TMG₃ tren)(O₂ ^.- )]⁺ (1) with NO^. _(g) at -125 °C. The first resonance Raman spectroscopic characterization of such a metal-bound PN moiety supports a cis κ¹ -(^- OONO) geometry. PN1 transforms thermally into an isomeric form (PN2) with κ² -O,O'-(^- OONO) coordination, which undergoes O-O bond homolysis to generate a putative cupryl (LCu^II -O^. ) intermediate and NO₂ ^. . These transient species do not recombine to give a nitrato (NO₃ ^- ) product but instead proceed to effect oxidative chemistry and formation of a Cu^II -nitrito (NO₂ ^- ) complex (2).

Tuning the Geometric and Electronic Structure of Synthetic High-Valent Heme Iron(IV)-Oxo Models in the Presence of a Lewis Acid and Various Axial Ligands

High-valent ferryl species (e.g., (Por)FeIV═O, Cmpd-II) are observed or proposed key oxidizing intermediates in the catalytic cycles of heme-containing enzymes (P-450s, peroxidases, catalases, and cytochrome c oxidase) involved in biological respiration and oxidative metabolism. Herein, various axially ligated iron(IV)-oxo complexes were prepared to examine the influence of the identity of the base. These were generated by addition of various axial ligands (1,5-dicyclohexylimidazole (DCHIm), a tethered-imidazole system, and sodium derivatives of 3,5-dimethoxyphenolate and imidazolate). Characterization was carried out via UV-vis, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), 57Fe Mössbauer, Fe X-ray absorption (XAS), and 54/57Fe resonance Raman (rR) spectroscopies to confirm their formation and compare the axial ligand perturbation on the electronic and geometric structures of these heme iron(IV)-oxo species. Mössbauer studies confirmed that the axially ligated derivatives were iron(IV) and six-coordinate complexes. XAS and 54/57Fe rR data correlated with slight elongation of the iron-oxo bond with increasing donation from the axial ligands. The first reported synthetic H-bonded iron(IV)-oxo heme systems were made in the presence of the protic Lewis acid, 2,6-lutidinium triflate (LutH+), with (or without) DCHIm. Mössbauer, rR, and XAS spectroscopic data indicated the formation of molecular Lewis acid ferryl adducts (rather than full protonation). The reduction potentials of these novel Lewis acid adducts were bracketed through addition of outer-sphere reductants. The oxidizing capabilities of the ferryl species with or without Lewis acid vary drastically; addition of LutH+ to F8Cmpd-II (F8 = tetrakis(2,6-difluorophenyl)porphyrinate) increased its reduction potential by more than 890 mV, experimentally confirming that H-bonding interactions can increase the reactivity of ferryl species.

Structure and Properties of a Five-Coordinate Nickel(II) Porphyrin

Axial coordination in nickel(II) porphyrins has been thoroughly investigated and is well understood. However, isolated five-coordinate nickel(II) porphyrins are still elusive after 50 years of intense research, even though they play a crucial role as intermediates in enzymes and catalysts. Herein we present the first fully stable, thoroughly characterized five-coordinate nickel(II) porphyrin in solution and in the solid state (crystal structure). The spectroscopic properties indicate pure high-spin behavior (S = 1). There are distinct differences in the NMR, UV-vis, and redox behavior compared to those of high-spin six-coordinate [with two axial ligands, such as NiTPPF₁₀·(py)₂] and low-spin four-coordinate (NiTPPF₁₀) nickel(II) porphyrins. The title compound, a strapped nickel(II) porphyrin, allows a direct comparison of four-, five-, and six-coordinate nickel(II) porphyrins, depending on the environment. With this reference in hand, previous results were reevaluated, for example, the switching efficiencies and thermodynamic data of nickel(II) porphyrin-based spin switches in solution.

Synthetic Fe/Cu Complexes: Toward Understanding Heme-Copper Oxidase Structure and Function

Heme-copper oxidases (HCOs) are terminal enzymes on the mitochondrial or bacterial respiratory electron transport chain, which utilize a unique heterobinuclear active site to catalyze the 4H+/4e- reduction of dioxygen to water. This process involves a proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) from a tyrosine (phenolic) residue and additional redox events coupled to transmembrane proton pumping and ATP synthesis. Given that HCOs are large, complex, membrane-bound enzymes, bioinspired synthetic model chemistry is a promising approach to better understand heme-Cu-mediated dioxygen reduction, including the details of proton and electron movements. This review encompasses important aspects of heme-O2 and copper-O2 (bio)chemistries as they relate to the design and interpretation of small molecule model systems and provides perspectives from fundamental coordination chemistry, which can be applied to the understanding of HCO activity. We focus on recent advancements from studies of heme-Cu models, evaluating experimental and computational results, which highlight important fundamental structure-function relationships. Finally, we provide an outlook for future potential contributions from synthetic inorganic chemistry and discuss their implications with relevance to biological O2-reduction.

Grafted iron(iii) ions significantly enhance NO2 oxidation rate and selectivity of TiO2 for photocatalytic NO x abatement

Semiconductor photocatalysis could be an effective means to combat nitrogen oxides (NO x ) based air pollution through mineralisation of NO x to nitrate. However, most of the typically TiO2-based catalysts employed show a much higher reactivity towards NO than NO2, leading to an accumulation of this unwanted and toxic intermediate. By grafting the photocatalyst with small amounts (≤0.1 at%) of isolated iron(iii) ions, the reactivity towards NO2 is increased by the factor of 9, bringing it up to par with the NO-reactivity and alleviating the problem with intermediate accumulation. Consequently, the observed selectivity of the reaction is dramatically increased from less than 40% to more than 90%. The paper also discusses possible mechanisms for this very beneficial behavior.

Oxygen radicals, nitric oxide, and peroxynitrite: Redox pathways in molecular medicine

Oxygen-derived free radicals and related oxidants are ubiquitous and short-lived intermediates formed in aerobic organisms throughout life. These reactive species participate in redox reactions leading to oxidative modifications in biomolecules, among which proteins and lipids are preferential targets. Despite a broad array of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant systems in mammalian cells and microbes, excess oxidant formation causes accumulation of new products that may compromise cell function and structure leading to cell degeneration and death. Oxidative events are associated with pathological conditions and the process of normal aging. Notably, physiological levels of oxidants also modulate cellular functions via homeostatic redox-sensitive cell signaling cascades. On the other hand, nitric oxide (^•NO), a free radical and weak oxidant, represents a master physiological regulator via reversible interactions with heme proteins. The bioavailability and actions of ^•NO are modulated by its fast reaction with superoxide radical ([Formula: see text]), which yields an unusual and reactive peroxide, peroxynitrite, representing the merging of the oxygen radicals and ^•NO pathways. In this Inaugural Article, I summarize early and remarkable developments in free radical biochemistry and the later evolution of the field toward molecular medicine; this transition includes our contributions disclosing the relationship of ^•NO with redox intermediates and metabolism. The biochemical characterization, identification, and quantitation of peroxynitrite and its role in disease processes have concentrated much of our attention. Being a mediator of protein oxidation and nitration, lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell death, peroxynitrite represents both a pathophysiologically relevant endogenous cytotoxin and a cytotoxic effector against invading pathogens.

Six-Coordinate Nitrato Complexes of Iron Porphyrins with Trans S-Donor Ligands

The reaction of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and tetrahydrothiophene (THT) with thin, amorphous layers of the nitrato complexes Fe(Por)(η²-O₂NO) (Por = meso-tetraphenylporphyrinato dianion or meso-tetra- p-tolylporphyrinato dianion) at low temperature leads to formation of the corresponding six-coordinate complexes Fe(Por)(L)(η¹-ONO₂) (L = DMS, THT) as characterized by Fourier transform infrared and optical spectroscopy measurements. Adduct formation was accompanied by bidentate-to-monodentate linkage isomerization of the nitrato ligand, with the Fe^III center remaining in a high-spin electronic state. These adducts are thermally unstable; warming to room temperature restores the initial Fe(Por)(η²-O₂NO) species.