Nuclease and anti-proliferative activities of copper(II) complexes of N3O tripodal ligands involving a sterically hindered phenolate.

Copper(II) complexes 1(2+)-6 of a series of tripodal ligands involving a N3O donor set, namely 2-[(bis-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-amino)-methyl]-4-methoxy-phenol (1L), 2-tert-butyl-4-methoxy-6-[bis-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-amino)-methyl]-phenol (2L), 2-tert-butyl-4-methoxy-6-{[(2-pyridin-2-yl-ethyl)-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-amino]-methyl}-phenol (3L), 2-tert-butyl-4-methoxy-6-{[(6-methyl-pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-amino]-methyl}-phenol (4L), 2-tert-butyl-4-fluoro-6-{[(6-methyl-pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-amino]-methyl}-phenol (5L) and 2-tert-butyl-4-methoxy-6-{bis[(6-methyl-pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-amino]-methyl}-phenol (6L), respectively, were synthesized. Complexes 1(2+), 3(+) and 4(+) were structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. The structure of 1(2+) is dimeric, with an essentially trigonal bipyramidal geometry around the copper(II) ions and two bridging deprotonated phenolate moieties. The mononuclear complexes 3(+) and 4(+) contain a square pyramidal copper ion, coordinated in axial position by the phenol moiety. In the water-DMF (90 : 10) mixture at pH 7.3 all the copper(II) complexes are mononuclear, mainly under their phenolate neutral form (except 3(+)), with a coordinated solvent molecule. The DNA cleavage activity of the complexes was tested towards the ϕX174 DNA plasmid. In the absence of an exogenous agent 1(2+) does not show any cleavage activity, 2(+) and 3(+) are moderately active, while 4(+), 5(+) and 6(+) exhibit a high nuclease activity. Experiments in the presence of various scavengers reveal that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are not involved in the strand scission mechanism. The cytotoxicity of the complexes was evaluated on bladder cancer cell lines sensitive or resistant to cisplatin. The IC50 values of the complexes 2(+), 4(+), 5(+) and 6(+) are lower than that of cisplatin (range from 6.3 to 3.1 µM against 9.1 µM for cisplatin). Furthermore, complexes 2(+), 4(+), 5(+) and 6(+) are able to circumvent cisplatin cellular resistance.

Protonation of the oxygen axial ligand in galactose oxidase model compounds as seen with high resolution X-ray emission experiments and FEFF simulations.

X-ray Emission Spectroscopy (XES) crossover peaks were shown to be sensitive to the protonation state of solvent molecules in the Zn protein carbonic anhydrase and its model compounds. Here we extend such studies to galactose oxidase models i.e. Cu(ii) open d-shell systems, illustrating that XES combined with FEFF8 simulations reflect changes in the protonation state of the phenolate ligand for the copper center.

Separation of geometric isomers of a dicopper complex by using a (19)F-labeled ligand: dynamics, structures, and DFT calculations.

Introducing a fluorine group on two pyridines of the HL(CH(3)) ligand (2,6-bis[(bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amino)methyl]-4-methylphenol) allows the separation of two geometric isomers after complexation by two copper(II) ions. Methods for isolating the isomers (1(meso) and 1(rac)) as a mu-phenoxo,mu-hydroxo dicopper(II) complex as a crystalline product have been developed. Both isomers (1(meso) and 1(rac)) have been characterized by X-ray crystallography and (19)F NMR. The isomerism is determined by the disposition of the fluorine atoms with respect to the plane containing the Cu(2)O(2) core. Density functional theory calculations using different functionals were performed to provide additional support for the existence of these two forms. Dissolution of 1(meso) in acetone or acetonitrile causes its spontaneous isomerization into the 1(rac) form at room temperature. Combined experimental studies (UV-vis, (19)F NMR) and theoretical calculations support this process. Paramagnetic (19)F NMR appears as a unique and powerful probe for distinguishing the two isomers and supplying direct evidence of this isomerization process in solution.

Galactose oxidase models: insights from 19F NMR spectroscopy.

(19)F labelled tripodal ligands that possess a N(3)O donor set (one phenol, one tertiary amine and either two pyridines or one pyridine and one quinoline) have been synthesized. The fluorine is incorporated either at the phenol O-donor (HL(F) and HL(CF3)) or at the quinoline N-donor (HLq(OMe) and HLq(NO2)). The copper(ii)-phenol complexes (2H)(2+), (1H)(2+), (3H)(2+) and (4H)(2+) as well as the corresponding copper(ii)-phenolate complexes have been characterized. X-Ray diffraction reveals an increase in the oxygen-copper bond distance of more than 0.4 A upon protonation of the phenolate moiety of (4)(+). Protonation is accompanied by an axial to equatorial isomerization of the quinoline group. DFT calculations show that stretching of the Cu-O(phenol) bond, pi-stacking interactions and rotation of the pyridine are key steps in this isomerization process. Protonation, and thus changes in the oxygen-copper bond distance induce either a decrease ((1H)(2+), (2H)(2+)) or an increase ((3H)(2+) and (4H)(2+)) in the copper-fluorine distance that could be monitored by (19)F NMR. In the former case, a broadening of the (19)F NMR signal is observed, whereas a sharpening is observed in the latter case. Temperature dependent (19)F NMR measurements on equimolar mixtures of the phenol and phenolate complexes of (3)(+) and (4)(+) reveal rate constants for proton transfer and/or isomerization of 3000 +/- 100 s(-1) and 2900 +/- 100 s(-1), respectively, at the coalescence temperature. This temperature was found to be strongly affected by the phenol para-substituent as it is 226 K and ca. 330 K for (3)(+) and (4)(+), respectively. A phenoxyl radical species ((3 )(2+)) could be generated and characterized for the first time by (19)F NMR spectroscopy.

Galactose Oxidase models: 19F NMR as a powerful tool to study the solution chemistry of tripodal ligands in the presence of copper(II).

In copper(ii) complexes of tripodal ligands, the protonation state of the phenol moiety, and its position (axial vs. equatorial), are easily assessed by (19)F NMR.

Cyclodecapeptides to mimic the radical site of tyrosyl-containing proteins.

Tyrosyl radicals are involved in many biologically important processes. The development of model compounds to mimic radical enzyme active sites, such as galactose oxidase (GO), has widely contributed to an enhanced understanding of their spectral properties, structural attributes and even reactivity. An emerging approach towards the synthesis of such active site mimetics is the use of peptidic ligands. The potential of cyclodecapeptides to bear phenoxyl radicals has been evaluated through three compounds. LH(4) (2+) is a cyclodecapetide containing two histidine residues (mimicking His(496) and His(581) of GO) and two tyrosine residues (mimicking Tyr(495) and the Tyr(272)* radical of GO). L(tBu)H(4) (2+) and L(OMe)H(4) (2+) incorporate 2,4,6-protected phenols in place of each tyrosine in LH(4) (2+). The deprotonation constants of each peptide determined by potentiometric titrations showed that there are some interactions between the acido-basic residues. Cyclic voltammetric studies revealed that only the peptides incorporating 2,4,6-protected phenolates exhibit reversible redox couples and are thus precursors of radicals stable enough to persist in solution. These studies also showed L(OMe2-) to possess the lower oxidation potential, indicating that this peptide, in its radical form, is the most stabilized. The electrochemically generated radical species have been characterized by EPR spectroscopy.

Galactose oxidase models: solution chemistry, and phenoxyl radical generation mediated by the copper status.

Galactose oxidase (GO) is an enzyme that catalyzes two-electron oxidations. Its active site contains a copper atom coordinated to a tyrosyl radical, the biogenesis of which requires copper and dioxygen. We have recently studied the properties of electrochemically generated mononuclear Cu(II)-phenoxyl radical systems as model compounds of GO. We present here the solution chemistry of these ligands under various copper and dioxygen statuses: N(3)O ligands first chelate Cu(II), leading, in the presence of base, to [Cu(II)(ligand)(CH(3)CN)](+) complexes (ortho-tert-butylated ligands) or [(Cu(II))(2)(ligand)(2)](2+) complexes (ortho-methoxylated ligands). Excess copper(II) then oxidizes the complex to the corresponding mononuclear Cu(II)-phenoxyl radical species. N(2)O(2) tripodal ligands, in the presence of copper(II), afford directly a copper(II)-phenoxyl radical species. Addition of more than two molar equivalents of copper(II) affords a Cu(II)-bis(phenoxyl) diradical species. The donor set of the ligand directs the reaction towards comproportionation for ligands possessing an N(3)O donor set, while disproportionation is observed for ligands possessing an N(2)O(2) donor set. These results are discussed in the light of recent results concerning the self-processing of GO. A path involving copper(II) disproportionation is proposed for oxidation of the cross-linked tyrosinate of GO, supporting the fact that both copper(I) and copper(II) activate the enzyme.

Galactose oxidase models: tuning the properties of CuII-phenoxyl radicals.

Four tripodal ligands with an N(3)O coordination sphere were synthesized: (2-hydroxy-3-tert-butyl-5-nitrobenzyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (LNO(2)H), (2-hydroxy-3-tert-butyl-5- fluorobenzyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (LFH), (2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylbenzyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (LtBuH) and (2-hydroxy-3-tert-butyl-5-methoxybenzyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (LOMeH). Their square-pyramidal copper(II) complexes, in which the phenol subunit occupies an axial position, were prepared and characterized by X-ray crystallography and UV/Vis and EPR spectroscopy. The phenolate moieties of the copper(II) complexes of LtBuH and LOMeH were electrochemically oxidized to phenoxyl radicals. These complexes are EPR-active (S=1), highly stable (k(decay)=0.008 min(-1) for [Cu(II)(LOMe(.))(CH(3)CN)](2+)) and stoichiometrically oxidise benzyl alcohol. Two additional tripodal ligands providing an N(2)O(2) coordination sphere were also studied: (2-pyridylmethyl)(2-hydroxy-3-tert-butyl-5-methoxybenzyl)(2-hydroxy-3-tert-butyl-5-nitrobenzyl)amine (L'OMeNO(2)H(2)) and (2-pyridylmethyl)bis(2-hydroxy-3-tert-butyl-5- methoxy)benzylamine (L'OMe(2)H(2)). Their copper(II) complexes were isolated as dimers ([Cu(2II)(L'OMe(2))(2)], [Cu(2II)(L'OMeNO(2))(2)]) that are converted to monomers on addition of pyridine. The complexes were investigated by X-ray crystallography and UV/Vis and EPR spectroscopy. Their one-electron electrochemical oxidation leads to copper(II)-phenoxyl systems that are less stable than those of the N(3)O complexes. The N(2)O(2) complexes are more reactive than the N(3)O analogues: they aerobically oxidize benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde at a higher rate, as well as ethanol to acetaldehyde (40-80 turnovers).

Substrate binding in catechol oxidase activity: biomimetic approach.

A series of dicopper(II) complexes have been investigated as model systems for the catechol oxidase active site enzyme, regarding the binding of catechol substrate in the first step of the catalytic cycle. The [Cu(2)(L(R))(mu-OH)](ClO(4))(2) and [Cu(2)(L(R))(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(3) complexes are based on the L(R) ligands (2,6-bis[(bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amino)methyl]-4-R-substituted phenol) with -R = -OCH(3), -CH(3), or -F. Binding studies of diphenol substrates were investigated using UV-vis and EPR spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and (19)F NMR (fluorinated derivatives). All the complexes are able to bind two ortho-diphenol substrates (tetrachlorocatechol and 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol). Two successive fixation steps, respectively fast and slower, were evidenced for the mu-OH complexes (the bis(aqua) complexes are inactive in catalysis) by stopped-flow measurement and (19)F NMR. From the mu-OH species, the 1:1 complex/substrate adduct is the catalytically active form. In relation with the substrate specificity observed in the enzyme, different substrate/inhibitor combinations were also examined. These studies enabled us to propose that ortho-diphenol binds monodentately one copper(II) center with the concomitant cleavage of the OH bridge. This hydroxo ligand appears to be a key factor to achieve the complete deprotonation of the catechol, leading to a bridging catecholate.