The role of metal cations in the homogeneous phase redox reaction of a NADH model compound

The catalytic activity of magnesium cations in the charge transfer between 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide (BNAH) and several aromatic compounds has been studied in acetonitrile by electrochemical techniques. Magnesium cations form complex compounds with both BNAH and the organic substrates studied. At the same time, magnesium forms ion-associates with negatively charged substrate molecules. Energetically, the effect of ion-pairing is much greater than the negative effect of complex formation. The rate of homogeneous phase reaction was also studied to show that the Michaelis-Menten type mechanism is operating.