Role of axial ligand on the electronic structures of active intermediates in cytochrome P-450, peroxidase and catalase

DFT method (B3LYP) with 6-31G^* basis set was utilized in the computation of a fully optimized structure, net atomic charges and spin densities of the intermediate of cytochrome P-450-oxoiron(IV) porphyrin cation radical, compound I – in the presence of axial ligand such as thiolate (SMe⁻) imidazole (IM), phenoxide (OPh⁻), methoxide (OMe⁻) and chloride (Cl⁻). The results show doublet states in compound I are about 2–4 kcal/mol more stable than quartet states for all aforementioned ligands, and the doublet state is the ground state in all cases. However, electron donor ability of the ligands are in the order of SMe⁻ > IM > OMe⁻ > OPh⁻ > Cl⁻. Also the active oxidant intermediate of cytochrome P-450 between different mesomeric structures select sulfur oxygen radical type structure and can be viewed as (RS^↓)Fe^↑(IV)(O^↑)(Por). In horseraddish peroxidase (HRP) and peroxidase with histidine axial ligand π cation radical character of porphyrin ring is preferred (Im)Fe^↑(IV)(O^↑)(Por^↓). For the ligands such as OMe⁻, OPh⁻ and Cl⁻ oxidation mainly took place on the iron and the active intermediate can be viewed as (L)Fe^↑(V)(O)(Por) with one unpaired electron localized on the iron.