Anilinic N‐Oxides Support Cytochrome P450‐Mediated N‐Dealkylation through Hydrogen‐Atom Transfer

The mechanism of N‐dealkylation mediated by cytochrome P450 (P450) has long been studied and argued as either a single electron transfer (SET) or a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from the amine to the oxidant of the P450, the reputed iron–oxene. In our study, tertiary anilinic N‐oxides were used as oxygen surrogates to directly generate a P450‐mediated oxidant that is capable of N‐dealkylating the dimethylaniline derived from oxygen donation. These surrogates were employed to probe the generated reactive oxygen species and the subsequent mechanism of N‐dealkylation to distinguish between the HAT and SET mechanisms. In addition to the expected N‐demethylation of the product aniline, 2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluoro‐N,N‐dimethylaniline N‐oxide (PFDMAO) was found to be capable of N‐dealkylating both N,N‐dimethylaniline (DMA) and N‐cyclopropyl‐N‐methylaniline (CPMA). Rate comparisons of the N‐demethylation of DMA supported by PFDMAO show a 27‐fold faster rate than when supported by N,N‐dimethylaniline N‐oxide (DMAO). Whereas intermolecular kinetic isotope effects were masked, intramolecular measurements showed values reflective of those seen previously in DMAO‐ and the native NADPH/O₂‐supported systems (2.33 and 2.8 for the N‐demethylation of PFDMA and DMA from the PFDMAO system, respectively). PFDMAO‐supported N‐dealkylation of CPMA led to the ring‐intact product N‐cyclopropylaniline (CPA), similar to that seen with the native system. The formation of CPA argues against a SET mechanism in favor of a P450‐like HAT mechanism. We suggest that the similarity of KIEs, in addition to the formation of the ring‐intact CPA, argues for a similar mechanism of Compound I (Cpd I) formation followed by HAT for N‐dealkylation by the native and N‐oxide‐supported systems and demonstrate the ability of the N‐oxide‐generated oxidant to act as an accurate mimic of the native P450 oxidant.