Modeling Tyrosinase Monooxygenase Activity. Spectroscopic and Magnetic Investigations of Products Due to Reactions between Copper(I) Complexes of Xylyl-Based Dinucleating Ligands and Dioxygen: Aromatic Ring Hydroxylation and Irreversible Oxidation Products

A full account of a chemical system possessing features that mimic the reactivity aspects of tyrosinase is presented. Using dinucleating ligands with a m-xylyl spacer three new dicopper(I) complexes have been synthesized and their reactivity with dioxygen investigated. The six-membered chelate ring forming ligands provide only two nitrogen coordinations to each copper. The complexes Cu(I)(2)L(CH(3)CN)(2)]X(2) (X = ClO(4)(-) (1a), SbF(6)(-) (1b)) and Cu(I)(2)(L-NO(2))(CH(3)CN)(2)]SbF(6)](2) (1c) L = alpha,alpha'-bisN-methyl-N-(2-pyridylethyl)amino]-m-xylene; L-NO(2) = para-nitro derivative of L] have been characterized by IR and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The reaction of O(2) with 1a-c in CH(2)Cl(2) or THF is instantaneous and causes stoichiometric xylyl hydroxylation reactions producing phenol products. Thus 1a produces phenoxo-/hydroxo-bridged product Cu(II)(2)(L-O)(OH)]ClO(4)](2) (2a). The existence of putative peroxo-dicopper(II) species could not be detected even at -80 degrees C. A trend is observed for the extent of aromatic ring hydroxylation (298 K): CH(3)CN approximately DMF > CH(3)OH > CH(2)Cl(2). Cyclic voltammetric experiment of 1a in DMF reveals an appreciably low redox potential (E(1/2) = -0.26 V vs SCE) for the Cu(II)(2)/Cu(I)(2) redox process. Variable-temperature (25-300 K) magnetic susceptibility measurements establish that the copper(II) centers in 2a and the dihydroxo-bridged complex Cu(II)(2)L'(OH)(2)]ClO(4)](2) (2b) formed due to an impurity (L') present during the synthesis of L following Method A; L' = bisalpha,alpha'-bis(N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylethyl)amino)-m-xylene]methylamine] are antiferromagnetically coupled, with 2a considerably more coupled than 2b. Reaction of 1a with O(2) in CH(2)Cl(2) (298 K) produces an additional unhydroxylated product of composition Cu(II)(2)L(OH)(OH(2))]ClO(4)](3).2H(2)O.0.5HCl (3a). In agreement with its proposed hydroxo-/aquo-bridged structure, 3a is weakly antiferromagnetically coupled. In CH(3)CN solution, 3a rearranges to generate a doubly hydroxo-bridged species Cu(II)(2)L(OH)(2)](2+). Using a solution-generated dicopper(I) complex of a closely similar ligand (L' ') providing five-membered chelate ring, the reactivity toward dioxygen was also investigated. It produces only an irreversibly oxidized product of composition Cu(II)(2)L' '(OH)(ClO(4))(3)(H(2)O)(2) (3b) (L' ' = alpha,alpha'-bisN-methyl-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)amino]-m-xylene). For 3b the copper(II) centers are almost uncoupled.