Characterization of Water Coordination to Ferrous Nitrosyl Complexes with fac-N2O, cis-N2O2, and N2O3 Donor Ligands.

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments were done on a series of S = (3)/2 ferrous nitrosyl model complexes prepared with chelating ligands that mimic the 2-His-1-carboxylate facial triad iron binding motif of the mononuclear nonheme iron oxidases. These complexes formed a comparative family, {FeNO}(7)(N2Ox)(H2O)3-x with x = 1-3, where the labile coordination sites for the binding of NO and solvent water were fac for x = 1 and cis for x = 2. The continuous-wave EPR spectra of these three complexes were typical of high-spin S = (3)/2 transition-metal ions with resonances near g = 4 and 2. Orientation-selective hyperfine sublevel correlation (HYSCORE) spectra revealed cross peaks arising from the protons of coordinated water in a clean spectral window from g = 3.0 to 2.3. These cross peaks were absent for the {FeNO}(7)(N2O3) complex. HYSCORE spectra were analyzed using a straightforward model for defining the spin Hamiltonian parameters of bound water and showed that, for the {FeNO}(7)(N2O2)(H2O) complex, a single water conformer with an isotropic hyperfine coupling, Aiso = 0.0 ± 0.3 MHz, and a dipolar coupling of T = 4.8 ± 0.2 MHz could account for the data. For the {FeNO}(7)(N2O)(H2O)2 complex, the HYSCORE cross peaks assigned to coordinated water showed more frequency dispersion and were analyzed with discrete orientations and hyperfine couplings for the two water molecules that accounted for the observed orientation-selective contour shapes. The use of three-pulse electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) data to quantify the number of water ligands coordinated to the {FeNO}(7) centers was explored. For this aspect of the study, HYSCORE spectra were important for defining a spectral window where empirical integration of ESEEM spectra would be the most accurate.

Studies of iron(II) and iron(III) complexes with fac-N2O, cis-N2O2 and N2O3 donor ligands: models for the 2-His 1-carboxylate motif of non-heme iron monooxygenases.

Enzymes in the oxygen-activating class of mononuclear non-heme iron oxygenases (MNOs) contain a highly conserved iron center facially ligated by two histidine nitrogen atoms and one carboxylate oxygen atom that leave one face of the metal center (three binding sites) open for coordination to cofactor, substrate, and/or dioxygen. A comparative family of [Fe(II/III)(N(2)O(n))(L)(4-n))](±x), n = 1-3, L = solvent or Cl(-), model complexes, based on a ligand series that supports a facially ligated N,N,O core that is then modified to contain either one or two additional carboxylate chelate arms, has been structurally and spectroscopically characterized. EPR studies demonstrate that the high-spin d(5) Fe(III)g = 4.3 signal becomes more symmetrical as the number of carboxylate ligands decreases across the series Fe(N(2)O(3)), Fe(N(2)O(2)), and Fe(N(2)O(1)), reflecting an increase in the E/D strain of these complexes as the number of exchangeable/solvent coordination sites increases, paralleling the enhanced distribution of electronic structures that contribute to the spectral line shape. The observed systematic variations in the Fe(II)-Fe(III) oxidation-reduction potentials illustrate the fundamental influence of differential carboxylate ligation. The trend towards lower reduction potential for the iron center across the [Fe(III)(N(2)O(1))Cl(3)](-), [Fe(III)(N(2)O(2))Cl(2)](-) and [Fe(III)(N(2)O(3))Cl](-) series is consistent with replacement of the chloride anions with the more strongly donating anionic O-donor carboxylate ligands that are expected to stabilize the oxidized ferric state. This electrochemical trend parallels the observed dioxygen sensitivity of the three ferrous complexes (Fe(II)(N(2)O(1)) < Fe(II)(N(2)O(2)) < Fe(II)(N(2)O(3))), which form µ-oxo bridged ferric species upon exposure to air or oxygen atom donor (OAD) molecules. The observed oxygen sensitivity is particularly interesting and discussed in the context of α-ketoglutarate-dependent MNO enzyme mechanisms.

Mechanistic investigation of cyclohexane oxidation by a non-heme iron complex: evidence of product inhibition by UV/vis stopped-flow studies.

We report herein studies examining a binuclear non-heme iron model complex that is capable of catalytically oxidizing cyclohexane to cyclohexanol in excess of 200 turnovers, relative to the iron complex, and cyclohexanone (5 turnovers) via heterolytic cleavage of the mechanistic probe peroxide MPPH. Low-temperature stopped-flow electronic spectroscopy was utilized to investigate the mechanism of the reaction of this diiron(II) compound, Fe(2)(H(2)Hbamb)(2)(N-MeIm)(2), (H(2)Hbamb = 2,3-bis(2-hydroxybenzamido)dimethylbutane) (1) with MPPH. In the absence of substrates, the reaction proceeds in three consecutive steps starting with oxygen atom transfer to the diferrous complex to generate a putative [Fe(IV)=O species], thought to be the oxidant in the catalytic cycle. Over time, the rate of catalysis is observed to decrease without consumption of all available peroxide. By utilizing low-temperature stopped-flow UV/vis kinetic studies, the diferrous complex, 1, is shown to undergo product inhibition arising from the interaction of either cyclohexanol or MPP-OL product species to the diiron center, therefore precluding further reaction with MPPH.

The effect of varying carboxylate ligation on the electronic environment of N2O(x) (x = 1-3) nonheme iron: a DFT analysis.

Mononuclear nonheme iron oxygenase (MNO) enzymes contain a subclass of metalloproteins capable of catalyzing the O(2)-dependent hydroxylation of unactivated substrates at a ferrous ion center coordinated to a highly conserved His-His-Glu/Asp motif. These enzymes, which utilize additional reducing equivalents obtained from the decarboxylation of a coordinated α-ketoglutarate (αKG) cofactor, do not readily interact with O(2) in the absence of αKG binding. Density functional theory calculations with the B3LYP functional were performed to gain insight into the electrochemical behavior of three sets of Fe(II/III) complexes containing a core N, N, O facial binding motif in which the number of carboxylate ligands was systematically altered, to provide one, two (cis) or three (fac) labile sites. The calculated trend in Fe(II/III) reduction potentials was observed to parallel that observed in cyclic voltammetry experiments, showing a decrease in potential (stabilized oxidized state) with increasing carboxylate ligation. This trend does not appear to be the result of differential charge on the metal complex. Changes in the redox-active molecular orbital (RAMO) energy due to covalent effects dominate across the series of complexes when chloride is modeled as the labile ligand, with the π anti-bonding nature of the RAMO being an important factor. With water molecules as the labile ligands, however, a much steeper redox dependence on the number of carboxylate ligands is observed and this effect seems to be largely electrostatic in origin. Differential relaxation of the occupied molecular orbitals in the ferric complexes appears to contribute to the redox trend as well. Finally, these observations are placed in the context of MNO enzyme mechanisms.

Heterolytic cleavage of peroxide by a diferrous compound generates metal-based intermediates identical to those observed with reactions utilizing oxygen-atom-donor molecules.

Under cryogenic stopped-flow conditions, addition of 2-methyl-1-phenylprop-2-yl hydroperoxide (MPPH) to the diiron(II) compound, [Fe(2)(H(2)Hbamb)(2)(NMeIm)(2)] (1; NMeIm=N-methylimidazole; H(4)HBamb: 2,3-bis(2-hydroxybenzamido)dimethylbutane) results in heterolytic peroxide O-O bond cleavage, forming a high-valent species, 2. The UV/Vis spectrum of 2 and its kinetic behavior suggest parallel reactivity to that seen in the reaction of 1 with oxygen-atom-donor (OAD) molecules, which has been reported previously. Like the interaction with OAD molecules, the reaction of 1 with MPPH proceeds through a three step process, assigned to oxygen-atom transfer to the iron center to form a high-valent intermediate (2), ligand rearrangement of the metal complex, and, finally, decay to a diferric mu-oxo compound. Careful examination of the order of the reaction with MPPH reveals saturation behavior. This, coupled with the anomalous non-Arrhenius behavior of the first step of the reaction, indicates that there is a preequilibrium peroxide binding step prior to O-O bond cleavage. At higher temperatures, the addition of the base, proton sponge, results in a marked decrease in the rate of O-O bond cleavage to form 2; this is assigned as a peroxide deprotonation effect, indicating that the presence of protons is an important factor in the heterolytic cleavage of peroxide. This phenomenon has been observed in other iron-containing enzymes, the catalytic cycles of which include peroxide O-O bond cleavage.

Electron transfer-initiated Diels-Alder cycloadditions of 2'-hydroxychalcones.

An efficient approach to cyclohexenyl chalcones employing highly electron rich 2'-hydroxychalcone dienophiles via electron transfer-initiated Diels-Alder cycloaddition is described. Using the methodology, the total synthesis of nicolaiodesin C has been accomplished.

Unraveling the reactive species of a functional non-heme iron monooxygenase model using stopped-flow UV-vis spectroscopy.

Low-temperature stopped-flow electronic spectroscopy was utilized to resolve the intermediates formed in the reaction of a diiron(II) compound, Fe2(H2Hbamb)2(N-MeIm)2 (H4HBamb = 2,3-bis(2-hydroxybenzamido)dimethylbutane), 1, with the oxygen atom donors 2,6-dimethyliodosylbenzene and p-cyanodimethylaniline N-oxide and the mechanistic probe hydroperoxide 2-methyl-1-phenylprop-2-yl hydroperoxide (MPPH). Previous studies showed that 1 is capable of catalytically oxidizing cyclohexane to cyclohexanol (300 turnovers) via a pathway involving the heterolytic cleavage of the O-O bond of MPPH (>98% peroxide utilization). We now report intimate details of the formation of the reactive intermediate and its subsequent decay in the absence of substrates. The reaction, which is independent of the nature of the oxidant, proceeds in three consecutive steps assigned as (i) oxygen-atom transfer to one of the iron centers of 1 to form an FeIV=O species, 2, (ii) ligand rearrangement to 3, and (iii) internal collapse of the terminal oxo group to generate a diferric, mu-oxo species, 4. Assignment of the second step as a ligand rearrangement was corroborated by stopped-flow spectroscopic studies of the one-electron oxidation of the starting diferrous 1, which is also known to undergo ligand rearrangement upon the formation of the [FeII, FeIII] mixed-valent complex. Observation of the reaction rates over a temperature range allowed for the determination of activation parameters for each of the three steps. The role of the ligand reorganization in the energetic profile for the formation of the catalytically competent intermediate is discussed, along with the potential biological significance of the internal conversion of the active oxidant to the inert, mu-oxo diiron(III) dimer, 4.

Spectroscopic and kinetic studies of PKU-inducing mutants of phenylalanine hydroxylase: Arg158Gln and Glu280Lys.

Phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) is a tetrahydrobiopterin-dependent, nonheme iron enzyme that catalyzes the hydroxylation of L-Phe to L-Tyr in the rate-limiting step of phenylalanine catabolism. This reaction is tightly coupled in the wild-type enzyme to oxidation of the tetrahydropterin cofactor. Dysfunction of PAH activity in humans leads to the disease phenylketonuria (PKU). We have investigated two PKU-inducing mutants, Arg158Gln and Glu280Lys, using kinetic methods, magnetic circular dichrosim (MCD) spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Analysis of the products produced by the mutant enzymes shows that although both oxidize pterin at more than twice the rate of wild-type enzyme, these reactions are only approximately 20% coupled to production of L-Tyr. Previous MCD and XAS studies had demonstrated that the resting Fe(II) site is six-coordinate in the wild-type enzyme and converts to a five-coordinate site when both L-Phe and reduced pterin are present in the active site. Although the Arg158Gln mutant forms the five-coordinate site when both cosubstrates are bound, the Fe(II) site of the Glu280Lys mutant remains six-coordinate. These results provide insight into the PAH reaction and disease mechanism at a molecular level, indicating that the first step of the mechanism is formation of a peroxy-pterin species, which subsequently reacts with the Fe(II) site if the pterin is properly oriented for formation of an Fe-OO-pterin bridge and an open coordination position is available on the Fe(II).

Fe2+-catalyzed heterolytic RO-OH bond cleavage and substrate oxidation: a functional synthetic non-heme iron monooxygenase system.

The reaction of [Fe22+(H2Hbamb)2(N-MeIm)2], [1], a binuclear, non-heme iron complex, with 2-methyl-1-phenylprop-2-yl hydroperoxide (MPPH) shows that [1] induces heterolytic cleavage of the peroxy O-O bond. Catalytic atom transfer reactions (1:MPPH:PhSMe 1:596:6011) resulted in the highly efficient (99 +/- 1%), catalytic oxidation of phenyl methyl sulfide to phenyl methyl sulfoxide/sulfone (T.N. = 500/11 respectively) and cyclohexane to cyclohexanol/cyclohexanone (T.N. = 230/5 respectively) showing the highly efficient, catalytic capacity of [1] to carry out oxygen insertion chemistry.