Quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical study of mechanisms of heme degradation by the enzyme heme oxygenase: the strategic function of the water cluster

Heme degradation by heme oxygenase (HO) enzymes is important in maintaining iron homeostasis and prevention of oxidative stress, etc. In response to mechanistic uncertainties, we performed quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical investigations of the heme hydroxylation by HO, in the native route and with the oxygen surrogate donor H2O2. It is demonstrated that H2O2 cannot be deprotonated to yield Fe(III)OOH, and hence the surrogate reaction starts from the FeHOOH complex. The calculations show that, when starting from either Fe(III)OOH or Fe(III)HOOH, the fully concerted mechanism involving O-O bond breakage and O-C(meso) bond formation is highly disfavored. The low-energy mechanism involves a nonsynchronous, effectively concerted pathway, in which the active species undergoes first O-O bond homolysis followed by a barrier-free (small with Fe(III)HOOH) hydroxyl radical attack on the meso position of the porphyrin. During the reaction of Fe(III)HOOH, formation of the Por+*FeIV=O species, compound I, competes with heme hydroxylation, thereby reducing the efficiency of the surrogate route. All these conclusions are in accord with experimental findings (Chu, G. C.; Katakura, K.; Zhang, X.; Yoshida, T.; Ikeda-Saito, M. J. Biol. Chem. 1999, 274, 21319). The study highlights the role of the water cluster in the distal pocket in creating "function" for the enzyme; this cluster affects the O-O cleavage and the O-Cmeso formation, but more so it is responsible for the orientation of the hydroxyl radical and for the observed alpha-meso regioselectivity of hydroxylation (Ortiz de Montellano, P. R. Acc. Chem. Res. 1998, 31, 543). Differences/similarities with P450 and HRP are discussed.     

Gauging the relative oxidative powers of compound I, ferric-hydroperoxide, and the ferric-hydrogen peroxide species of cytochrome P450 toward C-H hydroxylation of a radical clock substrate

Density functional calculations were performed in response to the controversies regarding the identity of the oxidant species in cytochrome P450. The calculations were used to gauge the relative C-H hydroxylation reactivity of three potential oxidant species of the enzyme, the high-valent oxo-iron species Compound I (Cpd I), the ferric hydroperoxide Compound 0 (Cpd 0), and the ferric-hydrogen peroxide complex Fe(H(2)O(2)). The results for the hydroxylation of a radical probe substrate, 1, show the following trends: (a) Cpd I is the most reactive species; in its presence the other two reagents will be silent. (b) In the absence of Cpd I, substrate oxidation by Cpd 0 and Fe(H(2)O(2)) will take place via a stepwise mechanism that involves initial O-O homolysis followed by H-abstraction from 1. (c) Cpd 0 will undergo mostly porphyrin hydroxylation and only approximately 15% of substrate oxidation producing mostly the rearranged alcohol, 3 (Scheme 2). (d) Fe(H(2)O(2)) will generate mostly free hydrogen peroxide (uncoupling). A small fraction will perform substrate oxidation and lead mostly to 3. Reactivity probes for these reagents are kinetic isotope effect (KIE) and the product ratio of unrearranged to rearranged alcohols, [2/3]. Thus, for substrate oxidation by Cpd 0 or Fe(H(2)O(2)) KIE will be small, approximately 2, while Cpd I will have large KIE values. Typically both Cpd 0 and Fe(H(2)O(2)) will lead to a [2/3] ratio < 1, while Cpd I will lead to ratios > 1. In addition, the product isotope effect (KIE(2)/KIE(3) not equal 1) is expected from the reactivity of Cpd I.     

Isolation of an oxomanganese(V) porphyrin intermediate in the reaction of a manganese(III) porphyrin complex and H2O2 in aqueous solution

The reaction of [Mn(TF(4)TMAP)](CF(3)SO(3))(5) (TF(4)TMAP=meso-tetrakis(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-N,N,N-trimethyl-4-aniliniumyl)porphinato dianion) with H(2)O(2) (2 equiv) at pH 10.5 and 0 degrees C yielded an oxomanganese(V) porphyrin complex 1 in aqueous solution, whereas an oxomanganese(IV) porphyrin complex 2 was generated in the reactions of tert-alkyl hydroperoxides such as tert-butyl hydroperoxide and 2-methyl-1-phenyl-2-propyl hydroperoxide. Complex 1 was capable of epoxidizing olefins and exchanging its oxygen with H(2) (18)O, whereas 2 did not epoxidize olefins. From the reactions of [Mn(TF(4)TMAP)](5+) with various oxidants in the pH range 3-11, the O-O bond cleavage of hydroperoxides was found to be sensitive to the hydroperoxide substituent and the pH of the reaction solution. Whereas the O-O bond of hydroperoxides containing an electron-donating tert-alkyl group is cleaved homolytically, an electron-withdrawing substituent such as an acyl group in m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA) facilitates O-O bond heterolysis. The mechanism of the O-O bond cleavage of H(2)O(2) depends on the pH of the reaction solution: O-O bond homolysis prevails at low pH and O-O bond heterolysis becomes a predominant pathway at high pH. The effect of pH on (18)O incorporation from H(2) (18)O into oxygenated products was examined over a wide pH range, by carrying out the epoxidation of carbamazepine (CBZ) with [Mn(TF(4)TMAP)](5+) and KHSO(5) in buffered H(2) (18)O solutions. A high proportion of (18)O was incorporated into the CBZ-10,11-oxide product at all pH values but this proportion was not affected significantly by the pH of the reaction solution.     

A "push-pull" mechanism for heterolytic o-o bond cleavage in hydroperoxo manganese porphyrins

A water-soluble manganese porphyrin, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(1,3-dimethylimidazolium-2-yl)porphyrinatomanganese(III) (Mn(III)TDMImP) is shown to react with H(2)O(2) to generate a relatively stable dioxomanganese(V) porphyrin complex (a compound I analog). Stopped-flow kinetic studies revealed Michaelis Menton-type saturation kinetics for H(2)O(2). The visible spectrum of a compound 0 type intermediate, assigned as Mn(III)(OH)(OOH)TDMImP, can be directly observed under saturating H(2)O(2) conditions (Soret band at 428 nm and Q bands at 545 and 578 nm). The rate-determining O-O heterolysis step was found to have a very small activation enthalpy (ΔH(≠) = 4.2 ± 0.2 kcal mol(-1)) and a large, negative activation entropy (ΔS(≠) = -36 ± 1 cal mol(-1) K(-1)). The O-O bond cleavage reaction was pH independent at 8.8 < pH < 10.4 with a first-order rate constant of 66 ± 12 s(-1). These observations indicate that the O-O bond in Mn(III)(OH)(OOH)TDMImP is cleaved via a concerted "push-pull" mechanism. In the transition state, the axial (proximal) (-)OH is partially deprotonated ("push"), while the terminal oxygen in (-)OOH is partially protonated ("pull") as a water molecule is released to the medium. This mechanism is reminiscent of O-O bond cleavage in heme enzymes, such as peroxidases and cytochrome P450, and similar to the fast, reversible O-Br bond breaking and forming reaction mediated by similar manganese porphyrins. The small enthalpy of activation suggests that this O-O bond cleavage could also be made reversible.     

Coupled oxidation vs heme oxygenation: insights from axial ligand mutants of mitochondrial cytochrome b5

Mutation of His-39, one of the axial ligands in rat outer mitochondrial membrane cytochrome b(5) (OM cyt b(5)), to Val produces a mutant (H39V) capable of carrying out the oxidation of heme to biliverdin when incubated with hydrazine and O(2). The reaction proceeds via the formation of an oxyferrous complex (Fe(II)(-)O(2)) that is reduced by hydrazine to a ferric hydroperoxide (Fe(III)(-)OOH) species. The latter adds a hydroxyl group to the porphyrin to form meso-hydroxyheme. The observation that catalase does not inhibit the oxidation of the heme in the H39V mutant is consistent with the formation of a coordinated hydroperoxide (Fe(III)(-)OOH), which in heme oxygenase is the precursor of meso-hydroxyheme. By comparison, mutation of His-63, the other axial ligand in OM cyt b(5), to Val results in a mutant (H63V) capable of oxidizing heme to verdoheme in the absence of catalase. However, the oxidation of heme by H63V is completely inhibited by catalase. Furthermore, whereas the incubation of Fe(III)(-)H63V with H(2)O(2) leads to the nonspecific degradation of heme, the incubation of Fe(II)(-)H63V with H(2)O(2) results in the formation of meso-hydroxyheme, which upon exposure to O(2) is rapidly converted to verdoheme. These findings revealed that although meso-hydroxyheme is formed during the degradation of heme by the enzyme heme oxygenase or by the process of coupled oxidation of model hemes and hemoproteins not involved in heme catabolism, the corresponding mechanisms by which meso-hydroxyheme is generated are different. In the coupled oxidation process O(2) is reduced to noncoordinated H(2)O(2), which reacts with Fe(II)-heme to form meso-hydroxyheme. In the heme oxygenation reaction a coordinated O(2) molecule (Fe(II)(-)O(2)) is reduced to a coordinated peroxide molecule (Fe(III)(-)OOH), which oxidizes heme to meso-hydroxyheme.     

Direct examination of H2O2 activation by a heme peroxidase

Described here is the application of oxygen isotope fractionation together with computational methods, to elucidate a mechanism of enzymatic H2O2 activation. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) has been the subject of intensive experimental and computational studies, yet questions remain as to the reversibility of the O-O cleavage step. New insight is afforded by the competitive oxygen kinetic isotope effect (18O KIE) upon H2O2 consumption determined under turnover conditions. The 18O KIE is compared to isotope effects calculated for the O-O heterolysis transition state and potential intermediates using density functional theory. In addition, experiments in enriched water provide evidence for HRP-catalyzed scrambling of the 18O label into the unreacted H2O2. The results provide an unprecedented view of H2O2 activation by a heme peroxidase and challenge the assumption of rate-limiting O-O heterolysis.     

Reactivity of phosphate monoester monoanions in aqueous solution. 1. Quantum mechanical calculations support the existence of "anionic zwitterion" MeO(+)(H)PO(3)(2-) as a key intermediate in the dissociative hydrolysis of the methyl phosphate anion

The dissociative hydrolysis reaction of the methyl phosphate monoanion has been studied for the reactant species CH(3)OPO(3)H(-) (1) and CH(3)OPO(3)H(-) x H(2)O (1a) in the gas and aqueous phases by density functional theory (B3LYP) calculations. Nonspecific solvation effects were taken into account with the polarizable continuum model PCM either by solvating the gas-phase reaction paths or by performing geometry searches directly in the presence of the solvation correction. In agreement with previous theoretical studies, our gas-phase calculations indicate that proton transfer to the methoxy group of 1 is concerted with P-O bond cleavage. In contrast, optimizations performed with the PCM solvation model establish the existence of the tautomeric form CH(3)O(+)(H)PO(3)(2-) (2) as an intermediate, indicating that proton transfer and P-O bond cleavage become uncoupled in aqueous solution. The dissociative pathway of 1a is energetically favored over the dissociative pathway of 1 only when the added water molecule plays an active catalytic role in the prototropic rearrangement 1 <--> 2. In that case, it is found that the collapse (via P-O bond cleavage) of the hydrated zwitterionic form CH(3)O(+)(H)PO(3)(2-) x H(2)O (2a) is rate-determining. This collapse may occur by a stepwise mechanism through a very short-lived metaphosphate intermediate (PO(3)(-)), or by a concerted S(N)2-like displacement through a loose metaphosphate-like transition state. The present calculations do not allow a distinction to be made between these two alternatives, which are both in excellent agreement with experiment. The present study also reveals that PO(3)(-) reacts selectively with CH(3)OH and H(2)O nucleophiles in aqueous solution. However, the observed selectivity of metaphosphate is governed by solvation effects, not nucleophilicity (water being much more effective than methanol in capturing PO(3)(-)). This arises from a better solvation of the addition product H(2)O(+)PO(3)(2-) as compared to CH(3)O(+)(H)PO(3)(2-).     

Macrocyclic hydroperoxocobalt(III) complex: photochemistry, spectroscopy, and crystal structure

The hydroperoxocobalt complex [L(2)(CH(3)CN)CoOOH](ClO(4))(2).CH(3)CN (L(2) = meso-5,7,7,12,14,14-Me(6)-[14]aneN(4)) crystallizes with discrete anions, cations, and solvate acetonitrile molecules in the lattice. The complex crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n, a = 10.4230(5) A, b = 16.1561(8) A, c = 17.4676(9) A, beta = 92.267(1) degrees, V = 2939.2(3) A(3), Z = 4. The O-O bond length is 1.397(4) A, and the O(2)-O(1)-Co angle spans 117.7 degrees. The O-O stretch in the infrared spectrum appears at 815 cm(-1). The 355- and 266-nm photolysis of acidic aqueous solutions of L(2)(H(2)O)CoOOH(2+) results in homolytic splitting of the Co-O bond and yields L(2)Co(H(2)O)(2)(2+) and HO(2)(*)/O(2)(*-) as the only products. The two fragments were scavenged selectively in separate experiments with O(2) and C(NO(2))(4). There is no evidence for photochemical O-O bond homolysis, presumably because the appropriate optical transition is masked by the HO(2)-to-Co LMCT transition.     

O-O bond activation in H2O2 and (CH3)3C-OOH mediated by [Ni(cyclam)(CH3CN)2](ClO4)2: different mechanisms to form the same Ni(III) product?

Reaction of [Ni(II)(cyclam)(CH(3)CN)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (1) with tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) or H(2)O(2), in acidic media results in a formation of [Ni(III)(cyclam)(CH(3)CN)(2)](3+) species (2), the nature of which is characterized by UV-vis, EPR and XPS. The formation rate of 2 is much higher when H(2)O(2) is used as oxidant. In absence of acid, TBHP reacts with 1 generating the same Ni(III) species but, in contrast, no reaction is observed between H(2)O(2) and 1. Addition of cis-stilbene as an oxidable substrate quenches the formation of Ni(III) for reaction with H(2)O(2) only. Overall, these observations reveal a different reaction mechanism when reacting H(2)O(2) with 1 than when reacting the same metal complex with TBHP, despite the fact that the final product is the same. The proposed pathways arising from these observations consist in a homolytic O-O cleavage for the reaction of 1 with TBHP in CH(3)CN, but a proton assisted heterolysis for the O-O activation in H(2)O(2). Density functional calculations (B3LYP and OPBE) on the thermodynamic feasibility of the two reaction processes support the proposed mechanisms, since the O-O homolysis is strongly disfavored when H(2)O(2) is used as reactant.     

Role of the somersault rearrangement in the oxidation step for flavin monooxygenases (FMO). A comparison between FMO and conventional xenobiotic oxidation with hydroperoxides

Model quantum mechanical calculations presented for C-4a-flavin hydroperoxide (FlHOOH) at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level suggest a new mechanism for flavoprotein monooxygenase (FMO) oxidation involving a concerted homolytic O-O bond cleavage in concert with hydroxyl radical transfer from the flavin hydroperoxide rather than an S(N)2-like displacement by the substrate on the C-4a-hydroperoxide OOH group. Homolytic O-O bond cleavage in a somersault-like rearrangement of hydroperoxide C-4a-flavinhydroperoxide (1) (FLHO-OH → FLHO···HO) produces an internally hydrogen-bonded HO(?) radical intermediate with a classical activation barrier of 27.0 kcal/mol. Model hydroperoxide 1 is used to describe the transition state for the key oxidation step in the paradigm aromatic hydroxylase, p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase (PHBH). A comparison of the electron distribution in the transition structures for the PHBH hydroxylation of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (ΔE(?) = 23.0 kcal/mol) with that of oxidation of trimethylamine (ΔE(?) = 22.3 kcal/mol) and dimethyl sulfide (ΔE? = 14.1 kcal/mol) also suggests a mechanism involving a somersault mechanism in concert with transfer of an HO(?) radical to the nucleophilic heteroatom center with a hydrogen transfer back to the FLH-O residue after the barrier is crossed to produce the final product, FLH-OH. In each case the hydroxylation barrier was less than that of the O-O rearrangement barrier in the absence of a substrate supporting an overall concerted process. All three transition structures bear a resemblance to the TS for the comparable hydroxylation of isobutane (ΔE(?) = 29.2 kcal/mol) and for simple Fenton oxidation by aqueous iron(III) hydroperoxides. To our surprise the oxidation of N- and S-nucleophiles with conventional oxidants such as alkyl hydroperoxides and peracids also proceeds by HO(?) radical transfer in a manner quite similar to that for tricyclic hydroperoxide 1. Stabilization of the developing oxyradical produced by somersault rearrangement for concerted enzymatic oxidation with tricyclic hydroperoxide 1 results in a reduced overall activation barrier.     

A density functional study of O-O bond cleavage for a biomimetic non-heme iron complex demonstrating an Fe(v)-intermediate

Density functional theory using the B3LYP hybrid functional has been employed to investigate the reactivity of Fe(TPA) complexes (TPA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine), which are known to catalyze stereospecific hydrocarbon oxidation when H(2)O(2) is used as oxidant. The reaction pathway leading to O-O bond heterolysis in the active catalytic species Fe(III)(TPA)-OOH has been explored, and it is shown that a high-valent iron-oxo intermediate is formed, where an Fe(V) oxidation state is attained, in agreement with previous suggestions based on experiments. In contrast to the analogous intermediate [(Por.)Fe(IV)=O](+1) in P450, the TPA ligand is not oxidized, and the electrons are extracted almost exclusively from the mononuclear iron center. The corresponding homolytic O-O bond cleavage, yielding the two oxidants Fe(IV)=O and the OH. radical, has also been considered, and it is shown that this pathway is inaccessible in the hydrocarbon oxidation reaction with Fe(TPA) and hydrogen peroxide. Investigations have also been performed for the O-O cleavage in the Fe(III)(TPA)-alkylperoxide species. In this case, the barrier for O-O homolysis is found to be slightly lower, leading to loss of stereospecificity and supporting the experimental conclusion that this is the preferred pathway for alkylperoxide oxidants. The difference between hydroperoxide and alkylperoxide as oxidant derives from the higher O-O bond strength for hydrogen peroxide (by 8.0 kcal/mol).     

Quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical study on the mechanisms of compound I formation in the catalytic cycle of chloroperoxidase: an overview on heme enzymes

The formation of Compound I (Cpd I), the active species of the enzyme chloroperoxidase (CPO), was studied using QM/MM calculation. Starting from the substrate complex with hydrogen peroxide, FeIII-HOOH, we examined two alternative mechanisms on the three lowest spin-state surfaces. The calculations showed that the preferred pathway involves heterolytic O-O cleavage that proceeds via the iron hydroperoxide species, i.e., Compound 0 (Cpd 0), on the doublet-state surface. This process is effectively concerted, with a barrier of 12.4 kcal/mol, and is catalyzed by protonation of the distal OH group of Cpd 0. By comparison, the path that involves a direct O-O cleavage from FeIII-HOOH is less favored. A proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) feature was found to play an important role in the mechanism nascent from Cpd 0. Initially, the O-O cleavage progresses in a homolytic sense, but as soon as the proton is transferred to the distal OH, it triggers an electron transfer from the heme-oxo moiety to form water and Cpd I. This study enables us to generalize the mechanisms of O-O activation, elucidated so far by QM/MM calculations, for other heme enzymes, e.g., cytochrome P450cam, horseradish peroxidase (HRP), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and heme oxygenase (HO). Much like for CPO, in the cases of P450 and HRP, the PCET lowers the barrier below the purely homolytic cleavage alternative (in our case, the homolytic mechanism is calculated directly from FeIII-HOOH). By contrast, the absence of PCET in HO, along with the robust water cluster, prefers a homolytic cleavage mechanism.     

Investigation of the mechanism of formation of a thiolate-ligated Fe(III)-OOH

Kinetic studies aimed at determining the most probable mechanism for the proton-dependent [Fe(II)(S(Me2)N(4)(tren))](+) (1) promoted reduction of superoxide via a thiolate-ligated hydroperoxo intermediate [Fe(III)(S(Me2)N(4)(tren))(OOH)](+) (2) are described. Rate laws are derived for three proposed mechanisms, and it is shown that they should conceivably be distinguishable by kinetics. For weak proton donors with pK(a(HA)) > pK(a(HO(2))) rates are shown to correlate with proton donor pK(a), and display first-order dependence on iron, and half-order dependence on superoxide and proton donor HA. Proton donors acidic enough to convert O(2)(-) to HO(2) (in tetrahydrofuran, THF), that is, those with pK(a(HA)) < pK(a(HO(2))), are shown to display first-order dependence on both superoxide and iron, and rates which are independent of proton donor concentration. Relative pK(a) values were determined in THF by measuring equilibrium ion pair acidity constants using established methods. Rates of hydroperoxo 2 formation displays no apparent deuterium isotope effect, and bases, such as methoxide, are shown to inhibit the formation of 2. Rate constants for p-substituted phenols are shown to correlate linearly with the Hammett substituent constants σ(-). Activation parameters ((ΔH(++) = 2.8 kcal/mol, ΔS(++) = -31 eu) are shown to be consistent with a low-barrier associative mechanism that does not involve extensive bond cleavage. Together, these data are shown to be most consistent with a mechanism involving the addition of HO(2) to 1 with concomitant oxidation of the metal ion, and reduction of superoxide (an "oxidative addition" of sorts), in the rate-determining step. Activation parameters for MeOH- (ΔH(++) = 13.2 kcal/mol and ΔS(++) = -24.3 eu), and acetic acid- (ΔH(++) = 8.3 kcal/mol and ΔS(++) = -34 eu) promoted release of H(2)O(2) to afford solvent-bound [Fe(III)(S(Me2)N(4)(tren))(OMe)](+) (3) and [Fe(III)(S(Me2)N(4)(tren))(O(H)Me)](+) (4), respectively, are shown to be more consistent with a reaction involving rate-limiting protonation of an Fe(III)-OOH, than with one involving rate-limiting O-O bond cleavage. The observed deuterium isotope effect (k(H)/k(D) = 3.1) is also consistent with this mechanism.     

Functional analogues of the dioxygen reduction site in cytochrome oxidase: mechanistic aspects and possible effects of Cu(B)

Catalytic reduction of O(2) and H(2)O(2) by new synthetic analogues of the heme/Cu site in cytochrome c and ubiquinol oxidases has been studied in aqueous buffers. Among the synthetic porphyrins yet reported, those employed in this study most faithfully mimic the immediate coordination environment of the Fe/Cu core. Under physiologically relevant conditions, these biomimetic catalysts reproduce key aspects of the O(2) and H(2)O(2) chemistry of the enzyme. When deposited on an electrode surface, they catalyze the selective reduction of O(2) to H(2)O at potentials comparable to the midpoint potential of cytochrome c. The pH dependence of the half-wave potentials and other data are consistent with O-O bond activation at these centers proceeding via a slow generation of a formally ferric-hydroperoxo intermediate, followed by its rapid reduction to the level of water. This kinetics is analogous to that proposed for the O-O reduction step at the heme/Cu site. It minimizes the steady-state concentration of the catalytic intermediate whose decomposition would release free H(2)O(2). The maximum catalytic rate constants of O(2) reduction by the ferrous catalyst and of H(2)O(2) reduction by both ferric and ferrous catalysts are comparable to those reported for cytochrome oxidase. The oxidized catalyst also displays catalase activity. Comparison of the catalytic properties of the biomimetic complexes in the FeCu and Cu-free forms indicates that, in the regime of rapid electron flux, Cu does not significantly affect the turnover frequency or the stability of the catalysts, but it suppresses superoxide-releasing autoxidation of an O(2)-catalyst adduct. The distal Cu also accelerates O(2) binding and minimizes O-O bond homolysis in the reduction of H(2)O(2).     

Isotope exchange in reactions between D2O and size-selected ionic water clusters containing pyridine, H+ (pyridine)m(H2O)n

Pyridine containing water clusters, H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n), have been studied both experimentally by a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer and by quantum chemical calculations. In the experiments, H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n) with m = 1-4 and n = 0-80 are observed. For the cluster distributions observed, there are no magic numbers, neither in the abundance spectra, nor in the evaporation spectra from size selected clusters. Experiments with size-selected clusters H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n), with m = 0-3, reacting with D(2)O at a center-of-mass energy of 0.1 eV were also performed. The cross-sections for H/D isotope exchange depend mainly on the number of water molecules in the cluster and not on the number of pyridine molecules. Clusters having only one pyridine molecule undergo D(2)O/H(2)O ligand exchange, while H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n), with m = 2, 3, exhibit significant H/D scrambling. These results are rationalized by quantum chemical calculations (B3LYP and MP2) for H(+)(pyridine)(1)(H(2)O)(n) and H(+)(pyridine)(2)(H(2)O)(n), with n = 1-6. In clusters containing one pyridine, the water molecules form an interconnected network of hydrogen bonds associated with the pyridinium ion via a single hydrogen bond. For clusters containing two pyridines, the two pyridine molecules are completely separated by the water molecules, with each pyridine being positioned diametrically opposite within the cluster. In agreement with experimental observations, these calculations suggest a "see-saw mechanism" for pendular proton transfer between the two pyridines in H(+)(pyridine)(2)(H(2)O)(n) clusters.     

Axial ligand and spin-state influence on the formation and reactivity of hydroperoxo-iron(III) porphyrin complexes

The present study focuses on the formation and reactivity of hydroperoxo-iron(III) porphyrin complexes formed in the [Fe(III)(tpfpp)X]/H(2)O(2)/HOO(-) system (TPFPP=5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)-21H,23H-porphyrin; X=Cl(-) or CF(3) SO(3)(-)) in acetonitrile under basic conditions at -15 °C. Depending on the selected reaction conditions and the active form of the catalyst, the formation of high-spin [Fe(III)(tpfpp)(OOH)] and low-spin [Fe(III)(tpfpp)(OH)(OOH)] could be observed with the application of a low-temperature rapid-scan UV/Vis spectroscopic technique. Axial ligation and the spin state of the iron(III) center control the mode of O-O bond cleavage in the corresponding hydroperoxo porphyrin species. A mechanistic changeover from homo- to heterolytic O-O bond cleavage is observed for high- [Fe(III)(tpfpp)(OOH)] and low-spin [Fe(III)(tpfpp)(OH)(OOH)] complexes, respectively. In contrast to other iron(III) hydroperoxo complexes with electron-rich porphyrin ligands, electron-deficient [Fe(III)(tpfpp)(OH)(OOH)] was stable under relatively mild conditions and could therefore be investigated directly in the oxygenation reactions of selected organic substrates. The very low reactivity of [Fe(III)(tpfpp)(OH)(OOH)] towards organic substrates implied that the ferric hydroperoxo intermediate must be a very sluggish oxidant compared with the iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin π-cation radical intermediate in the catalytic oxygenation reactions of cytochrome P450.     

Tuning of the internal energy and isomer distribution in small protonated water clusters H(+)(H2O)(4-8): an application of the inert gas messenger technique

Infrared spectroscopy of gas-phase hydrated clusters provides us much information on structures and dynamics of water networks. However, interpretation of spectra is often difficult because of high internal energy (vibrational temperature) of clusters and coexistence of many isomers. Here we report an approach to vary these factors by using the inert gas (so-called "messenger")-mediated cooling technique. Protonated water clusters with a messenger (M), H(+)(H(2)O)(4-8)·M (M = Ne, Ar, (H(2))(2)), are formed in a molecular beam and probed with infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the OH stretch region. Observed spectra are compared with each other and with bare H(+)(H(2)O)(n). They show clear messenger dependence in their bandwidths and relative band intensities, reflecting different internal energy and isomer distribution, respectively. It is shown that the internal energy follows the order H(+)(H(2)O)(n) > H(+)(H(2)O)(n)·(H(2))(2) > H(+)(H(2)O)(n)·Ar > H(+)(H(2)O)(n)·Ne, while the isomer-selectivity, which changes the isomer distribution in the bare system, follows the order H(+)(H(2)O)(n)·Ar > H(+)(H(2)O)(n)·(H(2))(2) > H(+)(H(2)O)(n)·Ne ~ (H(+)(H(2)O)(n)). Although the origin of the isomer-selectivity is unclear, comparison among spectra measured with different messengers is very powerful in spectral analyses and makes it possible to easily assign spectral features of each isomer.     

Model studies for heme oxygenase-catalyzed porphyrin meso hydroxylation

[structure: see text]. Nonenzymatic model studies based on a porphyrin analogue (2,4-diacetyldeuteroporphyrin) that avoid the steric effect complications of the heme oxygenase active site were carried out to determine the polarity of the ferric hydroperoxide attacking species. Mass spectral and deuterium-labeling experiments indicate that the porphyrin meso positions that are at higher pi-electron densities in ferric 2,4-diacetyldeuteroporphyrin are selectively attacked. This supports an electrophilic aromatic substitution mechanism for the heme oxygenase-catalyzed porphyrin meso hydroxylation.     

Mechanism of Al(3+)-catalyzed oxidations of hydrocarbons: dramatic activation of H2O2 toward O-O homolysis in complex [Al(H2O)4(OOH)(H2O2)](2+) explains the formation of HO• radicals

A radical mechanism of hydrocarbon oxidations with the environmentally friendly and cheap homogeneous nontransition metal system [Al(H(2)O)(6)](3+)/H(2)O(2)/MeCN-H(2)O was proposed for the first time on the basis of DFT calculations. A dramatic activation of H(2)O(2) toward homolysis in the key intermediate [Al(H(2)O)(4)(OOH)(H(2)O(2))](2+) due to the presence of the easily oxidizable OOH coligand provides, without a change of metal oxidation state, the generation of HO(?) radicals, which then oxidize hydrocarbons. Nonradical mechanisms of the olefin epoxidation with the same catalytic system were also investigated.     

Reaction of nitrogen monoxide with a macrocyclic superoxorhodium(III) complex produces an observable nitratorhodium intermediate

The rapid (k > or = 10(6) M(-1) s(-1)) reaction between NO and L(2)(H(2)O)RhOO(2+) (L(2) = meso-Me(6)-[14]ane-N(4)) generates two strongly oxidizing, scavengeable intermediates, believed to be NO(2) and L(2)(H(2)O)RhO(2+). A mechanism is proposed whereby a peroxynitrito complex L(2)(H(2)O)RhOONO(2+) is formed first. The homolysis of O-O bond produces NO(2) and L(2)(H(2)O)RhO(2+) which were trapped with ABTS(2)(-) and Ni([14]aneN(4))(2+). In the absence of scavengers, the decomposition of L(2)(H(2)O)RhOONO(2+) produces both free NO(3)(-) and a rhodium nitrato complex L(2)(H(2)O)RhONO(2)(2+), which releases NO(3)(-) in an inverse acid-dependent process. The total yield of L(2)(H(2)O)RhONO(2)(2+) is 70%. In a minor, parallel path, NO and L(2)(H(2)O)RhOO(2+) react to give nitrite and the hydroperoxo complex L(2)(H(2)O)RhOOH(2+).