Gerard J. Colpas

The synthesis and reactivity of peroxovanadium complexes as models for vanadium haloperoxidase.

The recently identified vanadium-containing haloperoxidase found in marine algae[ l] is significantly different in function from the better known heme enzymes. Although the precise mechanism for involvment of the vanadium center in the reaction is not well defmed[2], a monomeric V(V) is known to be required for activity. The enzyme can utilize iodide, bromide and chloride in halogenations, and in the absence of substrate oxygen is produced by the disproportion of peroxide[3]. The reactions catalyzed are as shown (Eq. 1,2):