Jean-Pierre Mahy

Allylic amination of alkenes by tosyliminoiodobenzene: manganese porphyrins as suitable catalysts

Abstract Manganese-porphyrins and particularly Mn(TPP)(ClO4) were found to be much better catalysts than iron-porphyrins for allylic N-tosylamination of alkenes by tosyliminoiodobenzene. With the former catalysts, cyclohexene was selectively transformed into 3-tosylaminocyclohexene with yields up to 70% and cis- and trans-hex-2-ene into allylic N-tosylamines with yields around 40%, whereas cyclooctene led to the corresponding allylic and homoallylic N-tosylamines.

Incorporation of manganese complexes into xylanase: new artificial metalloenzymes for enantioselective epoxidation.

Here we report the best artificial metalloenzyme to date for the selective oxidation of aromatic alkenes; it was obtained by noncovalent insertion of MnIII‐meso‐tetrakis(p‐carboxyphenyl)porphyrin [Mn(TpCPP), 1‐Mn] into a host protein, xylanase 10A from Streptomyces lividans (Xln10A). Two metallic complexes—N,N′‐ethylene bis(2‐hydroxybenzylimine)‐5,5′‐dicarboxylic acid MnIII [(Mn‐salen), 2‐Mn] and 1‐Mn—were associated with Xln10A, and the two hybrid biocatalysts were characterised by UV–visible spectroscopy, circular dichroism and molecular modelling. Only the artificial metalloenzyme based on 1‐Mn and Xln10A was studied for its catalytic properties in the oxidation of various substituted styrene derivatives by KHSO5: after optimisation, the 1‐Mn‐Xln10A artificial metalloenzyme was able to catalyse the oxidation of para‐methoxystyrene by KHSO5 with a 16 % yield and the best enantioselectivity (80 % in favour of the R isomer) ever reported for an artificial metalloenzyme.

Metal–organic frameworks: a novel host platform for enzymatic catalysis and detection

The use of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as immobilization matrices for enzymes as a platform for emerging applications is reported. In addition to an overview of strategies developed to prepare enzyme–MOF biocomposites, the features that render MOFs interesting matrices for bio-immobilization are highlighted along with their potential benefits beyond a solid-state support in the design of innovative biocomposites.

Artificial peroxidase-like hemoproteins based on antibodies constructed from a specifically designed ortho-carboxy substituted tetraarylporphyrin hapten and exhibiting a high affinity for iron-porphyrins.

In order to get catalytic antibodies modelling peroxidases BALB/c mice have been immunized with iron(III)α,α,α,β‐mesotetrakis‐orthocarboxyphenyl‐porphyrin (Fe(ToCPP))‐KLH conjugates. Monoclonal antibodies have been produced by the hybridoma technology. Three antibodies, 2 IgG, and 1 IgG2a, were found to bind both Fe(ToCPP) and the free base ToCPPH2 with similar binding constants. None of those antibodies was found to bind tetraphenylporphyrin. Those results suggest that the recognition of Fe(ToCPP) by the antibodies was mainly due to the binding of the carboxylate groups to some amino acid residues of the protein. True K d values of 2.9 × 10−9 M and 5.5 × 10−9 M have been determined for the two IgG1‐Fe(ToCPP) complexes. Those values are the best ones ever reported for iron‐porphyrin‐antibody complexes. UV‐vis. studies have shown that the two IgG1‐Fe(ToCPP) complexes were highspin hexacoordinate iron(III) complexes, with no amino acid residue binding the iron, whereas the IgG2α‐Fe(ToCPP) complex was a low‐spin hexacoordinate iron(III) complex with two strong ligands binding the iron atom. Both IgG1 ‐Fe(ToCPP) complexes were found to catalyze the oxidation of 2,2′‐azinobis (3ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid (ABTS) 5‐fold more efficiently than Fe(ToCPP) alone whereas the binding of IgG2a to this iron‐porphyrin had no effect on its catalytic activity. k cat values of 100 min−1 and 63 min−1 and k cat/K m. values of 105 M−1 s−1 and 119 M−1 s−1 have been found respectively for the two IgG1‐Fe(ToCPP) complexes.

Hemozymes peroxidase activity of artificial hemoproteins constructed from the Streptomyces lividans xylanase A and iron(III)-carboxy-substituted porphyrins.

To develop artificial hemoproteins that could lead to new selective oxidation biocatalysts, a strategy based on the insertion of various iron-porphyrin cofactors into Xylanase A (Xln10A) was chosen. This protein has a globally positive charge and a wide enough active site to accommodate metalloporphyrins that possess negatively charged substituents such as microperoxidase 8 (MP8), iron(III)-tetra-alpha4-ortho-carboxyphenylporphyrin (Fe(ToCPP)), and iron(III)-tetra-para-carboxyphenylporphyrin (Fe(TpCPP)). Coordination chemistry of the iron atom and molecular modeling studies showed that only Fe(TpCPP) was able to insert deeply into Xln10A, with a KD value of about 0.5 microM. Accordingly, Fe(TpCPP)-Xln10A bound only one imidazole molecule, whereas Fe(TpCPP) free in solution was able to bind two, and the UV-visible spectrum of the Fe(TpCPP)-Xln10A-imidazole complex suggested the binding of an amino acid of the protein on the iron atom, trans to the imidazole. Fe(TpCPP)-Xln10A was found to have peroxidase activity, as it was able to catalyze the oxidation of typical peroxidase cosubstrates such as guaiacol and o-dianisidine by H2O2. With these two cosubstrates, the KM value measured with the Fe(TpCPP)-Xln10A complex was higher than those values observed with free Fe(TpCPP), probably because of the steric hindrance and the increased hydrophobicity caused by the protein around the iron atom of the porphyrin. The peroxidase activity was inhibited by imidazole, and a study of the pH dependence of the oxidation of o-dianisidine suggested that an amino acid with a pKA of around 7.5 was participating in the catalysis. Finally, a very interesting protective effect against oxidative degradation of the porphyrin was provided by the protein.

Hemoabzymes: towards new biocatalysts for selective oxidations

Catalytic antibodies with a metalloporphyrin cofactor or <<hemoabzymes>>, used as models for hemoproteins like peroxidases and cytochrome P450, represent a promising route to catalysts tailored for selective oxidation reactions. A brief overview of the literature shows that until now, the first strategy for obtaining such artificial hemoproteins has been to produce antiporphyrin antibodies, raised against various free-base, N-substituted Sn-, Pd- or Fe-porphyrins. Five of them exhibited, in the presence of the corresponding Fe-porphyrin cofactor, a significant peroxidase activity, with k(cat)/K(m) values of 3.7 x 10(3) - 2.9 x 10(5) M(-1) min(-1). This value remained, however, low when compared to that of peroxidases. This strategy has also led to a few models of cytochrome P450. The best of them, raised against a water-soluble tin(IV) porphyrin containing an axial alpha-naphtoxy ligand, was reported to catalyze the stereoselective oxidation of aromatic sulfides by iodosyl benzene using a Ru(II)-porphyrin cofactor. The relatively low efficiency of the porphyrin-antibody complexes is probably due, at least in part, to the fact that no proximal ligand of Fe has been induced in those antibodies. We then proposed to use, as a hapten, microperoxidase 8 (MP8), a heme octapeptide in which the imidazole side chain of histidine 18 acts as a proximal ligand of the iron atom. This led to the production of seven antibodies recognizing MP8, the best of them, 3A3, binding it with an apparent binding constant of 10(-7) M. The corresponding 3A3-MP8 complex was found to have a good peroxidase activity characterized by a k(cat)/K(m) value of 2 x 10(6) M(-1) min(-1), which constitutes the best one ever reported for an antibody-porphyrin complex. Active site topology studies suggest that the binding of MP8 occurs through interactions of its carboxylate substituents with amino acids of the antibody and that the protein brings a partial steric hindrance of the distal face of the heme of MP8. Consequently, the use of the 3A3-MP8 complexes for the selective oxidation of substrates, such as sulfides, alkanes and alkenes will be undertaken in the future.

Antimalarial acridines: Synthesis, in vitro activity against P. falciparum and interaction with hematin

A series of acridine derivatives were synthesised and their in vitro antimalarial activity was evaluated against one chloroquine-susceptible strain (3D7) and three chloroquine-resistant strains (W2, Bre1 and FCR3) of Plasmodium falciparum. Structure-activity relationship showed that two positives charges as well as 6-chloro and 2-methoxy substituents on the acridine ring were required to exert a good antimalarial activity. The best compounds possessing these features inhibited the growth of the chloroquine-susceptible strain with an IC(50)0.07 microM, close to that of chloroquine itself, and that of the three chloroquine-resistant strains better than chloroquine with IC(50)0.3 microM. These acridine derivatives inhibited the formation of beta-hematin, suggesting that, like CQ, they act on the haem crystallization process. Finally, in vitro cytotoxicity was also evaluated upon human KB cells, which showed that one of them 9-(6-ammonioethylamino)-6-chloro-2-methoxyacridinium dichloride 1 displayed a promising antimalarial activity in vitro with a quite good selectivity index versus mammalian cell on the CQ-susceptible strain and promising selectivity on other strains.

Iron- and manganese-porphyrin catalysed aziridination of alkenes by tosyl- and acyl-iminoiodobenzene

N-Substituted aziridines are formed by Fe- or Mn-Porphyrin catalysed reactions of PhlNR compounds (R = tosyl or COCF7) with alkenes; the stereochemical characteristics of these reactions are very different from those of the analogous epoxidation of the alkenes by PhlO.

Studies of the reactivity of artificial peroxidase-like hemoproteins based on antibodies elicited against a specifically designed ortho-carboxy substituted tetraarylporphyrin

The temperature and pH dependence as well as the selectivity of the peroxidase activity of a complex associating a monoclonal antibody 13G10 with its iron(III)‐α,α,α,β‐meso‐tetrakis(ortho‐carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (Fe(ToCPP)) hapten have been studied and compared to those of Fe(ToCPP) alone. It first appears that the peroxidase activity of the 13G10‐Fe(ToCPP) complex is remarkably thermostable and remains about 5 times higher than that of Fe(ToCPP) alone until at least 80°C. Secondly, this complex is able to use not only H2O2 as oxidant but also a wide range of hydroperoxides such as alkyl, aralkyl and fatty acid hydroperoxides and catalyze their reduction 2–6‐fold faster than Fe(ToCPP) alone. It is also able to catalyze the oxidation by H2O2 of a variety of reducing cosubstrates such as 2,2′‐azinobis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (ABTS), o‐phenylenediamine (OPD), 3,3′,5,5′‐tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and 3,3′‐dimethoxybenzidine 3–8‐fold faster than Fe(ToCPP) alone, the bicyclic aromatic ABTS and TMB being the best reducing cosubstrates. Finally, a pH dependence study, between pH 4.6 and 7.5, of the oxidation of ABTS by H2O2 in the presence of either 13G10‐Fe(ToCPP) or Fe(ToCPP) shows that K m(H2O2) values vary very similarly for both catalysts, whereas very different variations are found for the k cat values. With Fe(ToCPP) as catalyst the k cat value remains constant around 100 min−1 whereas with the 13G10‐Fe(ToCPP) complex, it increases sharply below pH 5 to reach 540 min−1 at pH 4.6. This could be due to the participation of a carboxylic acid side chain of the antibody protein, as a general acid‐base catalyst, to the heterolytic cleavage of the O‐O bond of H2O2 leading to the highly reactive iron(V)‐oxo intermediate in the peroxidase mechanism. Accordingly, the modification of the carboxylic acid residues of antibody 13G10 by glycinamide leads to a 50% decrease of the peroxidase activity of the 13G10‐Fe(ToCPP) complex.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Acridine Derivatives as Antimalarial Agents

New N‐alkylaminoacridine derivatives attached to nitrogen heterocycles were synthesized, and their antimalarial potency was examined. They were tested in vitro against the growth of Plasmodium falciparum, including chloroquine (CQ)‐susceptible and CQ‐resistant strains. This biological evaluation has shown that the presence of a heterocyclic ring significantly increases the activity against P. falciparum. The best compound shows a nanomolar IC50 value toward parasite proliferation on both CQ‐susceptible and CQ‐resistant strains. The antimalarial activity of these new acridine derivatives can be explained by the two mechanisms studied in this work. First, we showed the capacity of these compounds to inhibit heme biocrystallization, a detoxification process specific to the parasite and essential for its survival. Second, in our search for alternative targets, we evaluated the in vitro inhibitory activity of these compounds toward Sulfolobus shibatae topoisomerase VI‐mediated DNA relaxation. The preliminary results obtained reveal that all tested compounds are potent DNA intercalators, and significantly inhibit the activity of S. shibatae topoisomerase VI at concentrations ranging between 2.0 and 2.5 μM.