Thermodynamic trans-Effects of the Nucleotide Base in the B12 Coenzymes

The thermodynamic effects of the nucleotide coordination on the Co-C bond strengths in the B ₁₂ coenzymes were analyzed. Methyl group transfer reactions from methylcob( III )inamides to cob( II )inamides and cob( I )inamides in neutral aqueous solution were used in equilibration experiments to determine the effect fo the intramolecular coordination of the nucleotide function on the Co-C bond dissociation energies of methylcob( III )alamin ( 4 ). In the equilibrium between 4 , cob( I )inamide ( 11 ), cob( I )alamin ( 10 ) and methylcob( III )inamide 6 (Scheme 2), 4 and 11 were found to predominate ( 4 + 11 ? 10 + 6 , equilibrium constant K_I/III≈0.004), while the equilibrium between 4 , cob( II )inamide 9 , cob( II )alamin ( 5 ), and 6 (Scheme 1) proved to be well balanced ( 4 + 9 ? 5 + 6 , equilibrium constant K_II/III=0.60). These equilibrium values indicate the nucleotide coordination to stabilize the Co–C bond in 4 both against homolysis (slight effect) and against nucleophilic heterolysis (considerable effect). They reflect a stabilization of the complete corrins 4 and 5 by the nucleotide coordination, which is also indicated for 4 and 5 by their (nucleotide) basicity. The latter information, where available for other organocobalamins, allows the analysis of the thermodynamicnucleotide trans effect there as well: e.g. in coenzyme B ₁₂ ( 1 ), the nucleotide coordination is found this way to weaken the Co–C bond towards homolysis by ca. 0.7 kcal/mol.