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.