Protonation of metal‐bound α‐hydroxycarboxylate ligand and implication for the role of homocitrate in nitrogenase: Computational study of the oxy‐bidentate chelate ring opening

Protonation of the metal‐bound oxy‐bidentate ligand in the model complexes of (HS)₃(NH₃)M(OCH₂COO)]^q (M = Mo, Fe, V, Co; q = ?2, ?1) in the gas phase and in solutions of water and acetonitrile has been explored by the density functional approach. Calculations show that protonation of the carboxyl oxygen can open the α‐hydroxycarboxylate chelate ring ligated to a transition‐metal center under specific oxidation and spin states. The feasibility of the chelate ring opening by protonation depends on the electronic nature of the metal site in tune with conversion of a six‐coordinate with a five‐coordinate metal atom. Such selective dissociation of the metal‐bound chelate ligand manipulates the availability of an empty site at the metal center and significantly affects reactivity of the metal‐mediated chemical processes. Protonation changes the stability of species with different spin multiplicities and impels spin transition at the metal center in dissociation of the oxy‐bidentate ligand. Solvent environments of water and acetonitrile play an important role in stabilizing the negatively charged species. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2006