Dominique Mandon

Intermediates in the reaction of substrate-free cytochrome P450cam with peroxy acetic acid

Freeze‐quenched intermediates of substrate‐free cytochrome 57Fe‐P450cam in reaction with peroxy acetic acid as oxidizing agent have been characterized by EPR and Mössbauer spectroscopy. After 8 ms of reaction time the reaction mixture consists of ∼90% of ferric low‐spin iron with g‐factors and hyperfine parameters of the starting material; the remaining ∼10% are identified as a free radical (S′=1/2) by its EPR and as an iron(IV) (S=1) species by its Mössbauer signature. After 5 min of reaction time the intermediates have disappeared and the Mössbauer and EPR‐spectra exhibit 100% of the starting material. We note that the spin‐Hamiltonian analysis of the spectra of the 8 ms reactant clearly reveals that the two paramagnetic species, e.g. the ferryl (iron(IV)) species and the radical, are not exchanged coupled. This led to the conclusion that under the conditions used, peroxy acetic acid oxidized a tyrosine residue (probably Tyr‐96) into a tyrosine radical (Tyr‐96), and the iron(III) center of substrate‐free P450cam to iron(IV).

A ferrous center as reaction site for hydration of a nitrile group into a carboxamide in mild conditions.

Mild conversion of the nitrile substituent into an amide functional group is observed upon coordination of CNTPA [CNTPA = (6-cyano 2-pyridylmethyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyle)amine] to FeCl2 followed by reaction with water. The crystal structure of CNTPAFeCl2 is reported and reveals that the nitrile group does not coordinate but is activated in the vicinity of the ferrous center. Upon treatment with water under anaerobic conditions, CNTPAFeCl2 converts into H2NCOTPAFeCl2, [H2NCOTPA = (6-carboxamido 2-pyridylmethyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyle)amine], the X-ray crystal structure of which is reported. The new ligand H2NCOTPA can easily be obtained upon decomplexation.

The 5/2,3/2 Spin Admixture in the Chloroiron(III) Derivative of the Sterically Crowded 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-Octaethyl-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin.

Despite similar ring deformations in solution and in the solid state, the chloroiron(III) derivative of 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethyl-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin ([FeCl(oetpp)], shown schematically) prepared in this study exhibits only a very weak quantum-mechanical admixture of spin S=3/2 (only 4-10 %) with spin S=5/2. In contrast, for the variety of [FeCl(oetpp)] studied earlier by other researchers a 40 % contribution of the S=3/2 state was found.

Generation of oxoiron(IV) tetramesitylporphyrin π-cation radical complexes by m-CPBA oxidation of ferric tetramesitylporphyrin derivatives in butyronitrile at −78 °C. Evidence for the formation of six-coordinate oxoiron(IV) tetramesitylporphyrin π-cation radical complexes FeIV=O(tmp)X (X=Cl−, Br−), by Mössbauer and X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Abstract The generation of six-coordinate oxoiron(IV) tetramesitylporphyrin π-cation radical complexes by m -CPBA ( meta -chloroperbenzoic acid) oxidation of ferric tetramesitylporphyrin derivatives in butyronitrile at −78 °C was investigated. UV–Vis and EPR spectroscopies indicate that the axial ligand present in the ferric starting derivatives is retained in the high-valent iron complexes. Indirect evidence for the formation of six-coordinate oxoiron(IV) tetramesitylporphyrin complexes Fe IV =O(tmp )X (X=Cl − , Br − ) by m -CPBA oxidation of FeX(tmp) (X=Cl − , Br − ) in butyronitrile at −78 °C was also obtained by Mossbauer spectroscopy. Direct confirmation of the presence of a halide ion as second axial ligand of iron in these high-valent iron species was obtained by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The EXAFS spectra of the samples obtained by m -CPBA oxidation of FeX(tmp) (X=Cl − , Br − ) were refined using two different coordination models including both four porphyrinato-nitrogens and the axial oxo group. The two models include (model I) or exclude (model II) the axial halogen. The statistical tests indicate the presence of a halide ion as second axial ligand of iron in both derivatives. The refinements led to the following bond distances: Fe IV O(tmp )Cl ( 3 ): Fe–O=1.66(1), Fe–Cl=2.39(2) and Fe–N p =1.99(1) A; Fe IV =O(tmp )Br ( 4 ): Fe–O=1.65(1), Fe–Br=2.93(2), Fe–N p =2.02(1) A. The lengthening of the Fe–X (X=Cl − , Br − ) distances relative to those occurring in the ferric precursor porphyrins is, most probably, related to the strong trans influence of the oxoiron(IV) fragment present in 3 and 4 .

The effect of iron to manganese substitution on microperoxidase 8 catalysed peroxidase and cytochrome P450 type of catalysis

Abstract This study describes the catalytic properties of manganese microperoxidase 8 [Mn(III)MP8] compared to iron microperoxidase 8 [Fe(III)MP8]. The mini-enzymes were tested for pH-dependent activity and operational stability in peroxidase-type conversions, using 2-methoxyphenol and 3,3′-dimethoxybenzidine, and in a cytochrome P450-like oxygen transfer reaction converting aniline to para-aminophenol. For the peroxidase type of conversions the Fe to Mn replacement resulted in a less than 10-fold decrease in the activity at optimal pH, whereas the aniline para-hydroxylation is reduced at least 30-fold. In addition it was observed that the peroxidase type of conversions are all fully blocked by ascorbate and that aniline para-hydroxylation by Fe(III)MP8 is increased by ascorbate whereas aniline para-hydroxylation by Mn(III)MP8 is inhibited by ascorbate. Altogether these results indicate that different types of reactive metal oxygen intermediates are involved in the various conversions. Compound I/II, scavenged by ascorbate, may be the reactive species responsible for the peroxidase reactions, the polymerization of aniline and (part of) the oxygen transfer to aniline in the absence of ascorbate. The para-hydroxylation of aniline by Fe(III)MP8, in the presence of ascorbate, must be mediated by another reactive iron-oxo species which could be the electrophilic metal(III) hydroperoxide anion of microperoxidase 8 [M(III)OOH MP8]. The lower oxidative potential of Mn, compared to Fe, may affect the reactivity of both compound I/II and the metal(III) hydroperoxide anion intermediate, explaining the differential effect of the Fe to Mn substitution on the pH-dependent behavior, the rate of catalysis and the operational stability of MP8.

Reactivity of Molecular Dioxygen towards a Series of Isostructural Dichloroiron(III) Complexes with Tripodal Tetraamine Ligands: General Access to μ‐Oxodiiron(III) Complexes and Effect of α‐Fluorination on the Reaction Kinetics

We have synthesized the mono, di-, and tri-alpha-fluoro ligands in the tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) series, namely, FTPA, F(2)TPA and F(3)TPA, respectively. Fluorination at the alpha-position of these nitrogen-containing tripods shifts the oxidation potential of the ligand by 45-70 mV per added fluorine atom. The crystal structures of the dichloroiron(II) complexes with FTPA and F(2)TPA reveal that the iron center lies in a distorted octahedral geometry comparable to that already found in TPAFeCl(2). All spectroscopic data indicate that the geometry is retained in solution. These three isostructural complexes all react with molecular dioxygen to yield stable mu-oxodiiron(III) complexes. Crystal structure analyses are reported for each of these three mu-oxo compounds. With TPA, a symmetrical structure is obtained for a dicationic compound with the tripod coordinated in the kappa(4)N coordination mode. With FTPA, the compound is a neutral mu-oxodiiron(III) complex with a kappa(3)N coordination mode of the ligand. Oxygenation of the F(2)TPA complex gave a neutral unsymmetrical compound, the structure of which is reminiscent of that already found with the trifluorinated ligand. On reduction, all mu-oxodiiron(III) complexes revert to the starting iron(II) species. The oxygenation reaction parallels the well-known formation of mu-oxo derivatives from dioxygen in the chemistry of porphyrins reported almost three decades ago. The striking feature of the series of iron(II) precursors is the effect of the ligand on the kinetics of oxygenation of the complexes. Whereas the parent complex undergoes 90 % conversion over 40 h, the monofluorinated ligand provides a complex that has fully reacted after 30 h, whereas the reaction time for the complex with the difluorinated ligand is only 10 h. Analysis of the spectroscopic data reveals that formation of the mu-oxo complexes proceeds in two distinct reversible kinetic steps with k(1) approximately 10 k(2). For TPAFeCl(2) and FTPAFeCl(2) only small variations in the k(1) and k(2) values are observed. By contrast, F(2)TPAFeCl(2) exhibits k(1) and k(2) values that are ten times higher. These differences in kinetics are interpreted in the light of structural and electronic effects, especially the Lewis acidity at the metal center. Our results suggest coordination of dioxygen as an initial step in the process leading to formation of mu-oxodiiron(III) compounds, by contrast with an unlikely outer-sphere reduction of dioxygen, which generally occurs at negative potentials.

Regiospecific Intramolecular O-Demethylation of the Ligand by Action of Molecular Dioxygen on a Ferrous Complex: Versatile Coordination Chemistry of Dioxygen in FeCl2 Complexes with (2,3-Dimethoxyphenyl) α-Substituted Tripods in the tris(2-Pyridylmethyl)amine Series

We report in this article one of the first examples of a reaction of O-demethylation carried out at a Fe(II) center by molecular dioxygen, in the homogeneous phase in non-porphyrinic chemistry. This reaction parallels at the intramolecular level a very important process found in biology leading to the derivatization and elimination of drugs by oxygen-dependent enzymes that contain nonheme iron centers. To get insight into some reactivity aspects of this reaction, we have used dioxygen and iron complexes coordinated to ligands that are substituted by methoxy groups. We detail in this work the coordination chemistry of FeCl(2) to the series of mono- (L(1)), di- (L(2)), and tris(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl) (L(3)) alpha-substituted ligands in the tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine series and the behavior of the complexes upon reaction with molecular dioxygen. As main outcomes of this study, we demonstrate that the methoxy group does not need to be coordinated to the metal center to undergo O-demethylation, but needs to be properly orientated close to an oxygenated form of the metal. We also demonstrate the importance of the environment in the reactivity with molecular dioxygen: whereas a regular 18-electron Fe(II) reacts with O(2), a five- coordinate, 16-electron center may be oxygen-stable, if the access of dioxygen to the reaction site is locked.

Square pyramidal geometry around the metal and tridentate coordination mode of the tripod in the [6-(3′-cyanophenyl)-2-pyridylmethyl]bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine FeCl2 complex: a solid state effect

Metalation of the cyanophenyl mono α-substituted TPA ligand by ferrous chloride affords a stable neutral compound with spectroscopic properties in solution (molecular conductivity, UV-visible and paramagnetic 1H NMR) indicating that the ligand coordinates in the tetradentate mode providing a distorted octahedral geometry around the metal. In the solid state however, the tripod acts as a tridentate ligand, and crystal structure analysis reveals a square pyramidal geometry around the metal. The substituted pyridyl arm is the dangling one, and the cyanide group seems to interact with the metal center of a neighboring molecule. Increasing the ionic strength of a solution of the compound leads to dissociation of the chloride ions from the metal, affording the bis (μ-chloro) diferrous dication, the structure of which is also reported.

Spin coupling in distorted high-valent Fe(IV)-porphyrin radical complexes

In order to study structural influences on the interaction of Fe(IV) (S=1) and porphyrin cation radical (S′=1/2) in high-valent iron porphyrin complexes of the type ¦X-(TMP)Fe=O¦+(Cl−), X=I, Br2, Br4 were generated by mCPBA oxidation of corresponding Fe(III) porphyrins. The halogen substitution at the peripheral positions of the porphyrin leads to distortion of the planar porphyrin ring of ¦(TMP)Fe=O¦+. The new species have beeen investigated by temperature-dependent EPR and field-dependent Mössbauer spectroscopy; for the evaluation of spectra, we adopted the spin-Hamiltonian formalism including exchange interaction explicitly. As in ¦(TMP)Fe=O¦+, strong ferromagnetic spin coupling was observed with|J0|D=0.9–1 and a zero-field spltting ofD∼32 cm−1. For consistent parametrization of EPR and Mössbauer results, anisotropic coupling had to be introduced. Compared to ¦(TMP)Fe=O¦+ [1], analysis of the spectroscopic data shows that zero-field splitting and spin coupling is only slightly affected by the halogen distortion of the porphyrin structure.

Steric congestion at, and proximity to, a ferrous center leads to hydration of α-nitrile substituents forming coordinated carboxamides.

The question of the conversion of nitrile groups into amides (nitrile hydration) by action of water in mild and eco-compatible conditions and in the presence of iron is addressed in this article. We come back to the only known example of hydration of a nitrile function into carboxamide by a ferrous [Fe(II)] center in particularly mild conditions and very efficiently and demonstrate that these unusual conditions result from the occurrence of steric stress at the reaction site and formation of a more stable end product. Two bis(cyano-substituted) (tris 2-pyridyl methyl amine) ligands have been prepared, and the structures of the corresponding FeCl2 complexes are reported, both in the solid state and in solution. These two ligands only differ by the position of the nitrile group on the tripod in the α and β position, respectively, with respect to the pyridine nitrogen. In any case, intramolecular coordination is impossible. Upon action of water, the nitrile groups are hydrated however only if they are located in the α position. The fact that the β-substituted β-(NC)2TPAFeCl2 complex is not water sensitive suggests that the reaction proceeds in an intramolecular way at the vicinity of the metal center. In the bis α-substituted α-(NC)2TPAFeCl2 complex, both functions are converted in a very clean fashion, pointing out that this complex exhibits ligand flexibility and is not deactivated after the first hydration. At a preparative scale, this reaction allows the one-pot conversion of the bis(cyano-substituted) tripod into a bis(amido-substituted) one in particularly mild conditions with a very good yield. Additionally, the XRD structure of a ferric compound in which the two carboxamido ligands are bound to the metal in a seven-coordinate environment is reported.