Coenzyme F430 from Methanogenic Bacteria: Detection of a Paramagnetic Methylnickel(II) Derivative of the Pentamethyl Ester by 2H-NMR Spectroscopy

A methylnickel(II) derivative of coenzyme F430 ( 1 ) was proposed as an intermediate in the enzymic process catalyzed by methyl-CoM reductasc. Indirect evidence points to formation of CH₃–F430M^II in the reaction of F30M¹ (obtained from F430M^II ( 2 )) with eleclrophilic methyl donors. The results presented here show, that such a compound does exist. A paramagnetic CD₃–Ni^II derivative 5b of the pentamethyl ester 2 (F430M) of coenzyme F430 was prepared by in situ methylation with (CD₃)₂Mg and characterized by its isotropically shifted ²H-NMR spectrum. At ?40°, the very broad D-signal of the axially coordinated CD₃ group is found at ?490 ppm. Comparison with the ²H- and ¹H-NMR spectra of mcthyl(tetramethylcyclam)nickel(II) derivatives 4 (Ni^II(CH₃))(tmc)]CF₃SO₃ ( 4a ) is the only isolated CH₃–Ni derivative of a N₄macrocyclic Ni^II complex' shows that the large isotropic shift to high field is characteristic for a Me group axially bound to the Ni center. The temperature dependence of the isotropic shift of the CD₃–Ni group in both 4b and 5b follows Curie's law and yields ²H hyperfine coupling constants of ?0.65 ( 4b ) and ?0.85 MHz ( 5b ), respectively. The ¹H-NMR spectrum indicates that, in contrast to the five-coordinate monochloro complex Ni^IICl(tmc)]⁺, intermolecular exchange of the axial ligand in Ni^II(CH₃)(tmc)]⁺ 4a is either slow at the NMR time scale or does not occur at all.