Kinetics and mechanism of oxidation reactions of porphyrin-iron(IV)-oxo intermediates

The kinetics of the reactions of three porphyrin-iron(IV)-oxo derivatives with alkenes and benzylic alcohols were measured. The iron-oxo systems studied were 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(2,6-dichlorophenyl)porphyrin-iron(IV)-oxo (2a), 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(2,6-difluorophenyl)porphyrin-iron(IV)-oxo (2b), and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin-iron(IV)-oxo (2c). Species 2 were stable for hours at room temperature as dilute solutions in acetonitrile and reacted hundreds to thousands of times faster in the presence of high concentrations of substrates. Typical second-order rate constants determined from pseudo-first-order kinetic studies are 1-2 x 10(-2) M(-1) s(-1) for reactions with styrene and 3 x 10(-2) M(-1) s(-1) for reactions with benzyl alcohol. The reactivity order for the iron-oxo species was 2a > 2b > 2c, which is inverted from that expected on the basis of the electron demand of the porphyrin macrocycles, and the oxidation reaction was suppressed when excess porphyrin-iron(III) complex was added to reaction mixtures. These observations indicate that the reactions involve disproportionation of the iron(IV)-oxo species 2 to give an iron(III) species and a more highly oxidized iron species, presumed to be an iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin radical cation, that is the true oxidant in the reactions. Analyses of the kinetics of oxidations of a series of para-substituted benzylic alcohols with Hammett sigma+ -substituent constants and with a dual-parameter method developed by Jiang (Jiang, X. K. Acc. Chem. Res. 1997, 30, 283) indicated that considerable positive charge developed on the benzylic carbons in the oxidation reactions, as expected for electrophilic oxidants, and also that substantial radical character developed on the benzyl carbon in the transition states.     

Photochemical generation of a highly reactive iron-oxo intermediate. A true iron(V)-oxo species?

Laser flash photolysis of 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole-iron(IV) chlorate or nitrate, prepared from the corresponding chloride, gave a highly reactive iron-oxo transient identified as an iron(V)-oxo species on the basis of its UV-visible spectrum and high reactivity as well as by analogy to photochemical ligand cleavage reactions of related manganese species. The transient was shown to be an oxo transfer agent in a preparative reaction with cis-cyclooctene. Representative rate constants for oxidation reactions by the new transient at ambient temperature were k = 5900 M-1 s-1 for cyclooctene and k = 570 M-1 s-1 for ethylbenzene. The new transient is more than 6 orders of magnitude more reactive with typical organic reductants than expected for an iron(IV)-oxo corrole radical cation and 100 times more reactive than an analogous positively charged iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin radical cation. Slow electron transfer isomerization of ligand iron(V)-oxo species to iron(IV)-oxo ligand radical cations might be important in reactions of porphyrin-iron catalysts in the laboratory and in nature.     

Cytochrome p450 compound I

Cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s) comprise a large class of enzymes that effect numerous oxidations in nature. The active oxidants in P450s are thought to be iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin radical cations termed Compounds I, and these intermediates have been sought since the discovery of P450s 40 years ago. We report formation of the Compound I derivative of a P450 enzyme by laser flash photolysis oxidation of the corresponding Compound II species, an iron(IV)-oxo neutral porphyrin intermediate. The Compound II derivative in turn was produced by oxidation of the P450 with peroxynitrite, which effected a net one-electron, oxo-transfer reaction to the iron(III) atom of the resting enzyme. For the P450 studied in this work, CYP119 from the thermophile Sulfolobus solfactaricus, the P450 Compound II derivative was stable for seconds at ambient temperature, and the Compound I transient decayed with a lifetime of ca. 200 ms.     

Kinetics of two-electron oxidations by the compound I derivative of chloroperoxidase, a model for cytochrome P450 oxidants

[structure: see text] Rate constants for two-electron oxidation reactions of Compound I from chloroperoxidase (CPO) with a variety of substrates were measured by stopped-flow kinetic techniques. The thiolate ligand of CPO Compound I activates the iron-oxo species with the result that oxidation reactions are 2 to 3 orders of magnitude faster than oxidations by model iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin radical cations containing weaker binding counterions.     

Spectra and kinetic studies of the compound I derivative of cytochrome P450 119

The Compound I derivative of cytochrome P450 119 (CYP119) was produced by laser flash photolysis of the corresponding Compound II derivative, which was first prepared by reaction of the resting enzyme with peroxynitrite. The UV-vis spectrum of the Compound I species contained an asymmetric Soret band that could be resolved into overlapping transitions centered at approximately 367 and approximately 416 nm and a Q band with lambda(max) approximately 650 nm. Reactions of the Compound I derivative with organic substrates gave epoxidized (alkene oxidation) and hydroxylated (C-H oxidation) products, as demonstrated by product studies and oxygen-18 labeling studies. The kinetics of oxidations by CYP119 Compound I were measured directly; the reactions included hydroxylations of benzyl alcohol, ethylbenzene, Tris buffer, lauric acid, and methyl laurate and epoxidations of styrene and 10-undecenoic acid. Apparent second-order rate constants, equal to the product of the equilibrium binding constant (K(bind)) and the first-order oxidation rate constant (k(ox)), were obtained for all of the substrates. The oxidations of lauric acid and methyl laurate displayed saturation kinetic behavior, which permitted the determination of both K(bind) and k(ox) for these substrates. The unactivated C-H positions of lauric acid reacted with a rate constant of k(ox) = 0.8 s(-1) at room temperature. The CYP119 Compound I derivative is more reactive than model Compound I species [iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin radical cations] and similar in reactivity to the Compound I derivative of the heme-thiolate enzyme chloroperoxidase. Kinetic isotope effects (kH/kD) for oxidations of benzyl alcohol and ethylbenzene were small, reflecting the increased reactivity of the Compound I derivative in comparison to models. Nonetheless, CYP119 Compound I apparently is much less reactive than the oxidizing species formed in the P450 cam reaction cycle. Studies of competition kinetics employing CYP119 activated by hydrogen peroxide indicated that the same oxidizing transient is formed in the photochemical reaction and in the hydrogen peroxide shunt reaction.     

Modeling the cis-oxo-labile binding site motif of non-heme iron oxygenases: water exchange and oxidation reactivity of a non-heme iron(IV)-oxo compound bearing a tripodal tetradentate ligand

The spectroscopic and chemical characterization of a new synthetic non-heme iron(IV)-oxo species [Fe(IV)(O)((Me,H) Pytacn)(S)](2+) (2, (Me,H)Pytacn=1-(2'-pyridylmethyl)-4,7-dimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane, S=CH(3)CN or H(2)O) is described. Complex 2 was prepared by reaction of [Fe(II)(CF(3)SO(3))(2)((Me,H) Pytacn)] (1) with peracetic acid. Complex 2 bears a tetradentate N(4) ligand that leaves two cis sites available for binding an oxo group and a second external ligand but, unlike the related iron(IV)-oxo species with tetradentate ligands, it is remarkably stable at room temperature (t(1/2)>2 h at 288 K). Its ability to exchange the oxygen atom of the oxo ligand with water has been analyzed in detail by means of kinetic studies, and a mechanism is proposed on the basis of DFT calculations. Hydrogen-atom abstraction from C-H bonds and oxygen-atom transfer to sulfides by 2 have also been studied. Despite its thermal stability, 2 proves to be a very powerful oxidant that is capable of breaking the strong C-H bond of cyclohexane (bond dissociation energy=99.3 kcal mol(-1)).     

Nonheme iron-oxo and -superoxo reactivities: O2 binding and spin inversion probability matter

DFT calculated barriers for C-H activation of 1,4-cyclohexadiene by nonheme iron(IV)-oxo and iron(III)-superoxo species show that the experimental trends can be explained if the spin inversion probability of the TMC iron(IV)-oxo is assumed to be poor. Also, the TMC iron(III)-superoxo reaction proceeds with an endothermic O(2)-binding energy followed by an intrinsically reactive quintet state.     

The formation of the primary hydrogen peroxide compound (compound I) of Pseudomonas cytochrome c peroxidase as a function of pH

The effect of pH on the stability and overall catalytic activity of half-reduced Pseudomonas cytochrome c peroxidase was studied over the pH range 3.5-8. The stability of the enzyme as deduced from 40 s incubation experiments is virtually unaffected by pH. However, there is a bell-shaped pH dependence for the overall catalytic reaction using H2O2 as oxidizing substrate and cytochrome c-551 as reducing substrate with maximum turnover rate of pH 6. The effects of pH on (1) rate of reduction of the totally ferric enzyme by reduced azurin over the pH range 3.5-8 and (2) the rate of compound I formation from the half-reduced enzyme and hydrogen peroxide over the pH range 4-8 were also investigated. The reduction reaction rate also appears bell-shaped with optimum rate at pH 5.6. The rate of compound I formation is virtually pH independent above pH 5 but drops dramatically as the pH is lowered from 5 to 4. The influence of an ionization with apparent pKa value of 4.4 is implicated in compound I formation. This enzyme acid group must be deprotonated for compound I formation to occur suggesting the importance of base catalysis.     

Melting diagrams of quaternary systems with a single compound

Topological analysis was made of the structure of the melting diagrams of quaternary systems with a single compound. Graphs of phase diagrams were constructed, which show the relative positions of invariant points and monovariant lines on the liquidus hypersurface. It was shown that there exist two types of diagrams with a binary compound and six types of diagrams with a ternary compound. Quaternary compound C can form by congruent crystallization reaction L = C (I) or by the interaction of melt with components: L + K₁ = C (II), L + K₁ + K₂ = C (III), or L + K₁ + K₂ + K₃ = C (IV). There are 23 types of diagrams with reaction (I) and 23 types of diagrams with reaction (II), which described by identical graphs; 25 types of diagrams with reaction (III); and 6 types of diagrams with reaction (IV). Fragments of the obtained diagrams correspond to various topological situations, which may occur in more-component systems.     

Combined experimental and theoretical study on aromatic hydroxylation by mononuclear nonheme iron(IV)-oxo complexes

The hydroxylation of aromatic compounds by mononuclear nonheme iron(IV)-oxo complexes, [FeIV(Bn-tpen)(O)]2+ (Bn-tpen=N-benzyl-N,N',N'-tris(2-pyridylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine) and [FeIV(N4Py)(O)]2+ (N4Py=N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-N-bis(2-pyridyl)methylamine), has been investigated by a combined experimental and theoretical approach. In the experimental work, we have performed kinetic studies of the oxidation of anthracene with nonheme iron(IV)-oxo complexes generated in situ, thereby determining kinetic and thermodynamic parameters, a Hammett rho value, and a kinetic isotope effect (KIE) value. A large negative Hammett rho value of -3.9 and an inverse KIE value of 0.9 indicate that the iron-oxo group attacks the aromatic ring via an electrophilic pathway. By carrying out isotope labeling experiments, the oxygen in oxygenated products was found to derive from the nonheme iron(IV)-oxo species. In the theoretical work, we have conducted density functional theory (DFT) calculations on the hydroxylation of benzene by [FeIV(N4Py)(O)]2+. The calculations show that the reaction proceeds via two-state reactivity patterns on competing triplet and quintet spin states via an initial rate determining electrophilic substitution step. In analogy to heme iron(IV)-oxo catalysts, the ligand is noninnocent and actively participates in the reaction mechanism by reshuttling a proton from the ipso position to the oxo group. Calculated kinetic isotope effects of C6H6 versus C6D6 confirm an inverse isotope effect for the electrophilic substitution pathway. Based on the experimental and theoretical results, we have concluded that the aromatic ring oxidation by mononuclear nonheme iron(IV)-oxo complexes does not occur via a hydrogen atom abstraction mechanism but involves an initial electrophilic attack on the pi-system of the aromatic ring to produce a tetrahedral radical or cationic sigma-complex.     

Electron paramagnetic resonance and ultraviolet/visible study of compounds I and II in the horseradish peroxidase-H(2)O(2)-silk fiber reaction system

The enzymatic oxidation of silk with H(2)O(2) in the presence of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) has been investigated. Two intermediate complexes have been observed during this reaction. Both can be attributed to Fe(4+) ions axially bonded to an oxygen atom and to a porphyrin radical (P). In the most unstable of them, indicated as compound II, the chemical bond between [Fe(IV)=O](2+) and P was weaker than in the other, indicated as compound I. The former compound disappeared within 1 h of the reaction, at difference with the latter, traces of which were observed even after 3 weeks with dried samples. However, the chemical bond between [Fe(IV)=O](2+) and P in compound I weakened during the sample ageing. All these phenomena have been enlightened by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and spectrophotometric ultraviolet/visible (UV/Vis) measurements.     

Electrochemically driven generation of manganese(IV,V)-oxo multiporphyrin arrays and their redox properties with manganese(III) species in Langmuir-Blodgett films

High-valency manganese (IV,V)-oxo porphyrins have been electrochemically generated and in situ spectrally characterized in multiporphyrin arrays, which were formed by an interfacial coordination reaction of Na2PdCl4 with manganese (III) tetrapyridylporphyrin (MnTPyP). Multilayers of the Pd-MnTPyP multiporphyrin arrays were obtained by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method. The redox behaviors of manganese in the multiporphyrin arrays were pH-dependent. Spectroelectrochemical experiments revealed a reversible redox process between Pd-Mn(III)TPyP and its Mn(IV)-oxo species, but an irreversible process between Pd-Mn(III)TPyP and its Mn(V)-oxo species. The Pd-Mn(IV)TPyP multiporphyrin arrays could be spontaneously reduced to their Mn(III) complex, while the Pd-Mn(V)TPyP arrays were rather stable in basic solutions (pH > 10.5). However, when the Pd-Mn(V)TPyP multiporphyrin arrays were washed by or immersed in water, they were immediately reduced to their Mn(III) complex. Because these well-organized multiporphyrin arrays are of high thermal and chemical stability, they are potential molecular materials in the studies of natural and artificial catalytic processes as well as redox-based molecular switches.     

Dehydrogenative α-Oxygenation of Cyclic Ethers by a High-Valent Manganese(IV)-Oxo Species

High-valent metal-oxo species are typical catalytic cycle intermediates in mono-oxygenases and dioxygenases and commonly react through oxygen atom transfer to substrates. In this work we study a biomimetic model complex with a 1,1’-bis((3,5-dimethylpyridin-2-yl)methyl)-2,2’-bipiperidine ligand system bound to a manganese(IV)-oxo(hydroxo) species and study its formation from manganese(II)-hydroxo and H₂O₂ as well as its reaction with (S)-1-phenylisochromane through dehydrogenative α-oxygenation. The work utilizes density functional theory methods to explore its catalytic cycle and its reactivity patterns. We show that the manganese(IV)-oxo(hydroxo) species is an active oxidant and preferentially the oxo group abstracts a hydrogen atom from substrate with barriers well lower in energy than those found for hydrogen atom abstraction by the hydroxo group. Interestingly, the rate-determining step is the OH rebound rather than the hydrogen atom abstraction, which would imply they would have limited kinetic isotope effect for the replacement of the transferring hydrogen atom by deuterium.     

Photochemical activation of ruthenium(II)-pyridylamine complexes having a pyridine-N-oxide pendant toward oxygenation of organic substrates

Ruthenium(II)-acetonitrile complexes having η(3)-tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) with an uncoordinated pyridine ring and diimine such as 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) and 2,2'-bipyrimidine (bpm), [Ru(II)(η(3)-TPA)(diimine)(CH(3)CN)](2+), reacted with m-chloroperbenzoic acid to afford corresponding Ru(II)-acetonitrile complexes having an uncoordinated pyridine-N-oxide arm, [Ru(II)(η(3)-TPA-O)(diimine)(CH(3)CN)](2+), with retention of the coordination environment. Photoirradiation of the acetonitrile complexes having diimine and the η(3)-TPA with the uncoordinated pyridine-N-oxide arm afforded a mixture of [Ru(II)(TPA)(diimine)](2+), intermediate-spin (S = 1) Ru(IV)-oxo complex with uncoordinated pyridine arm, and intermediate-spin Ru(IV)-oxo complex with uncoordinated pyridine-N-oxide arm. A Ru(II) complex bearing an oxygen-bound pyridine-N-oxide as a ligand and bpm as a diimine ligand was also obtained, and its crystal structure was determined by X-ray crystallography. Femtosecond laser flash photolysis of the isolated O-coordinated Ru(II)-pyridine-N-oxide complex has been investigated to reveal the photodynamics. The Ru(IV)-oxo complex with an uncoordinated pyridine moiety was alternatively prepared by reaction of the corresponding acetonitrile complex with 2,6-dichloropyridine-N-oxide (Cl(2)py-O) to identify the Ru(IV)-oxo species. The formation of Ru(IV)-oxo complexes was concluded to proceed via intermolecular oxygen atom transfer from the uncoordinated pyridine-N-oxide to a Ru(II) center on the basis of the results of the reaction with Cl(2)py-O and the concentration dependence of the consumption of the starting Ru(II) complexes having the uncoordinated pyridine-N-oxide moiety. Oxygenation reactions of organic substrates by [Ru(II)(η(3)-TPA-O)(diimine)(CH(3)CN)](2+) were examined under irradiation (at 420 ± 5 nm) and showed selective allylic oxygenation of cyclohexene to give cyclohexen-1-ol and cyclohexen-1-one and cumene oxygenation to afford cumyl alcohol and acetophenone.     

A chromium(III)-superoxo complex in oxygen atom transfer reactions as a chemical model of cysteine dioxygenase

Metal-superoxo species are believed to play key roles in oxygenation reactions by metalloenzymes. One example is cysteine dioxygenase (CDO) that catalyzes the oxidation of cysteine with O(2), and an iron(III)-superoxo species is proposed as an intermediate that effects the sulfoxidation reaction. We now report the first biomimetic example showing that a chromium(III)-superoxo complex bearing a macrocyclic TMC ligand, [Cr(III)(O(2))(TMC)(Cl)](+), is an active oxidant in oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reactions, such as the oxidation of phosphine and sulfides. The electrophilic character of the Cr(III)-superoxo complex is demonstrated unambiguously in the sulfoxidation of para-substituted thioanisoles. A Cr(IV)-oxo complex, [Cr(IV)(O)(TMC)(Cl)](+), formed in the OAT reactions by the chromium(III)-superoxo complex, is characterized by X-ray crystallography and various spectroscopic methods. The present results support the proposed oxidant and mechanism in CDO, such as an iron(III)-superoxo species is an active oxidant that attacks the sulfur atom of the cysteine ligand by the terminal oxygen atom of the superoxo group, followed by the formation of a sulfoxide and an iron(IV)-oxo species via an O-O bond cleavage.     

Cover Feature: Mechanism of Oxidative Activation of Fluorinated Aromatic Compounds by N-Bridged Diiron-Phthalocyanine: What Determines the Reactivity? (Chem. Eur. J. 63/2019)

The biodegradation of compounds with C−F bonds is challenging due to the fact that these bonds are stronger than the C−H bond in methane. In this work, results on the unprecedented reactivity of a biomimetic model complex that contains an N-bridged diiron-phthalocyanine are presented; this model complex is shown to react with perfluorinated arenes under addition of H₂O₂ effectively. To get mechanistic insight into this unusual reactivity, detailed density functional theory calculations on the mechanism of C₆F₆ activation by an iron(IV)-oxo active species of the N-bridged diiron phthalocyanine system were performed. Our studies show that the reaction proceeds through a rate-determining electrophilic C−O addition reaction followed by a 1,2-fluoride shift to give the ketone product, which can further rearrange to the phenol. A thermochemical analysis shows that the weakest C−F bond is the aliphatic C−F bond in the ketone intermediate. The oxidative defluorination of perfluoroaromatics is demonstrated to proceed through a completely different mechanism compared to that of aromatic C−H hydroxylation by iron(IV)-oxo intermediates such as cytochrome P450 Compound I.     

Effect of external electric fields on the C-H bond activation reactivity of nonheme iron-oxo reagents

The effect of external electric fields (EFs) on the reactivity of nonheme iron(IV)-oxo species toward alkanes is investigated computationally using density functional theory. It is shown that an external EF changes the energy landscape of the process and thereby impacts the mechanisms, rates, and selectivities of the reactions, in a manner dependent on the nature of the iron(IV)-oxo/alkane pair. When the iron-oxo species is a good electron acceptor, like N4PyFeO2+, and the alkane is a good electron donor, like toluene, the application of the EF changes the mechanism from hydrogen abstraction to electron transfer. With cyclohexane, which is a poorer electron donor than toluene, the EF promotes hydride transfer and generates a carbocation. However, in the reaction between a poorer electron acceptor TMC(SR)FeO+ and cyclohexane, the EF preserves the hydrogen abstraction/rebound mechanism but improves its features by lowering the barriers for both the C-H activation and rebound steps; larger effects were observed for the quintet-state reaction. In all cases, the EF effect obeys a selection rule; the largest effects are observed when the EF vector is aligned with the Fe=O axis (z) and directed along the molecular dipole. As such, an EF aligned in the direction of the electron flow from substrate to the iron-oxo center lowers the reaction barrier and affects both the reactivity and selectivity of the molecular catalysts.     

Probing the oxyferrous and catalytically active ferryl states of Amphitrite ornata dehaloperoxidase by cryoreduction and EPR/ENDOR spectroscopy. Detection of compound I

Dehaloperoxidase (DHP) from Amphitrite ornata is a heme protein that can function both as a hemoglobin and as a peroxidase. This report describes the use of 77 K cryoreduction EPR/ENDOR techniques to study both functions of DHP. Cryoreduced oxyferrous [Fe(II)-O(2)] DHP exhibits two EPR signals characteristic of a peroxoferric [Fe(III)-O(2)(2-)] heme species, reflecting the presence of conformational substates in the oxyferrous precursor. (1)H ENDOR spectroscopy of the cryogenerated substates shows that H-bonding interactions between His N(ε)H and heme-bound O(2) in these conformers are similar to those in the β-chain of oxyferrous hemoglobin A (HbA) and oxyferrous myoglobin, respectively. Decay of cryogenerated peroxoferric heme DHP intermediates upon annealing at temperatures above 180 K is accompanied by the appearance of a new paramagnetic species with an axial EPR signal with g(⊥) = 3.75 and g(∥) = 1.96, characteristic of an S = 3/2 spin state. This species is assigned to Compound I (Cpd I), in which a porphyrin π-cation radical is ferromagnetically coupled with an S = 1 ferryl [Fe(IV)═O] ion. This species was also trapped by rapid freeze-quench of the ambient-temperature reaction mixture of ferric [Fe(III)] DHP and H(2)O(2). However, in the latter case Cpd I is reduced very rapidly by a nearby tyrosine to form Cpd ES [(Fe(IV)═O)(porphyrin)/Tyr(?)]. Addition of the substrate analogue 2,4,6-trifluorophenol (F(3)PhOH) suppresses formation of the Cpd I intermediate during annealing of cryoreduced oxyferrous DHP at 190 K but has no effect on the spectroscopic properties of the remaining cryoreduced oxyferrous DHP intermediates and kinetics of their decay. These observations indicate that substrate (i) binds to oxyferrous DHP outside of the distal pocket and (ii) can reduce Cpd I to Cpd II [Fe(IV)═O]. These assumptions are also supported by the observation that F(3)PhOH has only a small effect on the EPR properties of radiolytically cryooxidized and cryoreduced ferrous [Fe(II)] DHP. EPR spectra of cryoreduced ferrous DHP disclose the multiconformational nature of the ferrous DHP precursor. The observation and characterization of Cpds I, II, and ES in the absence and in the presence of F(3)PhOH provides definitive evidence of a mechanism involving consecutive one-electron steps and clarifies the role of all intermediates formed during turnover.     

QM/MM studies of the electronic structure of the compound I intermediate in cytochrome c peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase

Cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) both involve reactive haem oxoferryl intermediates known as 'compound I' species. These two enzymes also have a very similar structure, especially in the vicinity of the haem group. Despite this similarity, the electronic structure of compound I in the two enzymes is known to be very different. Compound I intermediates have three unpaired electrons, two of which are always situated on the Fe-O core, whilst the third is located in a porphyrin orbital in APX and many other compound I species. In CcP, however, this third unpaired electron is positioned on a tryptophan residue lying close to the haem ring. The same residue is present in the same position in APX, yet it is not oxidized in that case. We report QM/MM calculations, using accurate B3LYP density functional theory for the QM region, on the active intermediate for both enzymes. We reproduce the observed difference in electronic structure, and show that it arises as a result of subtle electrostatic effects which affect the ionization potential of both the tryptophan and porphyrin groups. The computed structures of both enzymes do not involve deprotonation of the tryptophan group, or protonation of the oxoferryl oxygen.     

A highly reactive mononuclear non-heme manganese(IV)-oxo complex that can activate the strong C-H bonds of alkanes

A mononuclear non-heme manganese(IV)-oxo complex has been synthesized and characterized using various spectroscopic methods. The Mn(IV)-oxo complex shows high reactivity in oxidation reactions, such as C-H bond activation, oxidations of olefins, alcohols, sulfides, and aromatic compounds, and N-dealkylation. In C-H bond activation, the Mn(IV)-oxo complex can activate C-H bonds as strong as those in cyclohexane. It is proposed that C-H bond activation by the non-heme Mn(IV)-oxo complex does not occur via an oxygen-rebound mechanism. The electrophilic character of the non-heme Mn(IV)-oxo complex is demonstrated by a large negative ρ value of -4.4 in the oxidation of para-substituted thioanisoles.