Copper(II) complexes of aminocarbohydrate beta-ketoenaminic ligands: efficient catalysts in catechol oxidation

Insertion of a hydroxido bridge into a diphenoxido dinuclear copper(II) complex: drastic change of the magnetic property from strong antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic and enhancement in the catecholase activity

A diphenoxido-bridged dinuclear copper(II) complex, [Cu(2)L(2)(ClO(4))(2)] (1), has been synthesized using a tridentate reduced Schiff base ligand, 2-[[2-(diethylamino)ethylamino]methyl]phenol (HL). The addition of triethylamine to the methanolic solution of this complex produced a novel triple bridged (double phenoxido and single hydroxido) dinuclear copper(II) complex, [Cu(2)L(2)(OH)]ClO(4) (2). Both complexes 1 and 2 were characterized by X-ray structural analyses, variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements, and spectroscopic methods. In 1, the two phenoxido bridges are equatorial-equatorial and the species shows strong antiferromagnetic coupling with J = -615.6(6.1) cm(-1). The inclusion of the equatorial-equatorial hydroxido bridge in 2 changes the Cu···Cu distance from 3.018 Å (avg.) to 2.798 Å (avg.), the positions of the phenoxido bridges to axial-equatorial, and the magnetic coupling to ferromagnetic with J = 50.1(1.4) cm(-1). Using 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol as the substrate, the catecholase activity of the complexes has been studied in a methanol solution; compound 2 shows higher catecholase activity (k(cat) = 233.4 h(-1)) than compound 1 (k(cat) = 93.6 h(-1)). Both complexes generate identical species in solution, and they are interconvertible simply by changing the pH of their solutions. The higher catecholase activity of 2 seems to be due to the presence of the OH group, which increases the pH of its solution.

The ODN probes conjugating the Cu(II) complex enhance the luminol chemiluminescence by assembling on the DNA template

Potent peroxidase-like activity of the β-ketoenamine (1)-dicopper (II) complex (2) for the chemiluminescence (CL) of luminol either in the presence or absence of H(2)O(2) has been previously demonstrated by our group. In this study, the β-ketoenamine (1) as the ligand unit for copper(II) was incorporated into the oligonucleotide (ODN) probes. It has been shown that the catalytic activity of the ODN probes conjugating the ligand-Cu(II) complex is activated by hybridization with the target DNA with the complementary sequence. Thus, this study has successfully demonstrated the basic concept for the sensitive detection of nucleic acids by CL based on the template-inductive activation of the catalytic unit for CL.

Prospects of metal complexes peripherally substituted with sugars in biomedicinal applications

Metal complexes possess unique tunable properties, such as radioactivity, cytotoxicity or photophysical features, enabling them to act as diagnostic tracers or therapeutic agents. In applying them in biological systems, it is often necessary to enhance their solubility and biocompatibility. To achieve such goals, like the targeting of binding domains, transport systems and enzyme activities, the attachment of carbohydrate moieties appears to be suitable. Sugar-substitution in the periphery of metal complexes has therefore become a strongly growing field of research. Outlined herein is a selection of recent examples.

Diphenoxo-Bridged Copper(II) Complexes of Reduced Schiff Base Ligands as Functional Models for Catechol Oxidase

The design and development of synthetic analogues for the active dicopper(ii) sites of catechol oxidase, with the help of binucleating ligands in particular, is an attractive strategy to generate relevant information on structure–function relationships. Dicopper(ii) complexes of different yet closely related series of reduced Schiff base ligands (N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-amino acids; N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-amino amides, N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-aminomethane or ethanesulfonic acids, and N-(2-hydroxy-5-substituted-benzyl)-cyclopentane or hexanecarboxylic acids) derived from various substituted salicylaldehydes and natural or unnatural amino acids or amides explored as functional models for the Type 3 copper enzyme catecholase oxidase are reviewed in the present paper. The catalytic activity of different series of dicopper(ii) complexes to oxidize the model substrate 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol to the corresponding 3,5-di-tert-butylquinone is discussed with respect to the various ligand properties such as the length and chelating ability of the amino acid side-arm of the ligands, conformation of the ligand, nature of the donor groups on the amino acid backbone and role of different para-substituents. This article provides a short review summarizing the trend observed in the catecholase activity of different series of dicopper(ii) complexes investigated in our laboratory.

Theoretical study of the catalytic mechanism of catechol oxidase

The mechanism for the oxidation of catechol by catechol oxidase has been studied using B3LYP hybrid density functional theory. On the basis of the X-ray structure of the enzyme, the molecular system investigated includes the first-shell protein ligands of the two metal centers as well as the second-shell ligand Cys92. The cycle starts out with the oxidized, open-shell singlet complex with oxidation states Cu(2)(II,II) with a mu-eta(2):eta(2) bridging peroxide, as suggested experimentally, which is obtained from the oxidation of Cu(2)(I,I) by dioxygen. The substrate of each half-reaction is a catechol molecule approaching the dicopper complex: the first half-reaction involves Cu(I) oxidation by peroxide and the second one Cu(II) reduction. The quantitative potential energy profile of the reaction is discussed in connection with experimental data. Since no protons leave or enter the active site during the catalytic cycle, no external base is required. Unlike the previous density functional theory study, the dicopper complex has a charge of +2.

A New Copper(II) Complex as an Efficient Catalyst of Luminol Chemiluminescence

A new copper complex (2) has exhibited highly efficient catalytic activity of luminol chemiluminescence in water in the presence of ascorbic acid and dissolved O2 under conditions that conventional catalysts such as Cu(OAc)2, hemin or cyclen-Cu(II) did not show significant activity.

Trinuclear Copper(II) Complexes Derived from Schiff-Base Ligands Based on a 6-Amino-6-deoxyglucopyranoside: Structural and Magnetic Characterization

The trinuclear copper(II) complexes ([CuL1)(mu-ac)Cu(mu-ac)CuL1) (1) and ([CuL2)(mu-ac)Cu(mu-ac)CuL2) (2) of the tridentate aminosaccharide-derived Schiff-base ligands H2L1 [6-N-(salicylidene)amino-6-deoxy-1,2,3-tri-O-methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside] and H2L2 [6-N-(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)amino-6-deoxy-1,2,3-tri-O-methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside] were synthesized and structurally characterized. The trinuclear complex units can be described as two terminal copper-ligand moieties bridged by a central copper acetate moiety, with the Cu centers arranged in a triangular fashion. IR and UV/vis spectroscopic studies strongly indicate that the trinuclear structure is maintained in a methanolic solution. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility of both complexes shows a moderate antiferromagnetic coupling and can be well interpreted by applying a symmetric Cua-Cub-Cua' model with linear spin topology. The fit of the magnetic data affords coupling constants J of -34 and -24 cm(-1) for 1 and 2, respectively [H = -J(SaSb + SbSa')]. For mu-alkoxo-mu-acetato-bridged copper(II) complexes with a large dihedral angle between the adjacent coordination planes, as found in 1 and 2, such an antiferromagnetic coupling is unusual. However, density functional theory calculations of 2 using BP86, B3LYP*, and B3LYP density functionals confirmed a symmetric doublet ground state.

Biomimetic Oxidation of 3,5-Di-tert-butylcatechol by Dioxygen via Mn-Enhanced Base Catalysis

The 6-coordinate dioximatomanganese(II) complex [Mn(HL)(CH3OH)]+ (2, where H2L is [HON=C(CH3)C(CH3)=NCH2CH2]2NH), formed by instant solvolysis of [Mn2(HL)2](BPh4)2 (1) in methanol, accelerates the triethylamine (TEA)-catalyzed oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (H2dtbc) by O2 to the corresponding o-benzoquinone. Significantly, 2 alone has no catalytic effect. The observed rate increase can be explained by the interaction of 2 with the hydroperoxo intermediate HdtbcO2- formed from Hdtbc- and O2 in the TEA-catalyzed oxidation. The kinetics of the TEA-catalyzed and Mn-enhanced reaction has been studied by gas-volumetric monitoring of the amount of O2 consumed. The initial rate of O2 uptake (V(in)) shows a first-order dependence on the concentration of 2 and O2 and saturation kinetics with respect to both H2dtbc and TEA. The observed kinetic behavior is consistent with parallel TEA-catalyzed and Mn-enhanced oxidation paths. The 3,5-di-tert-butylsemiquinone anion radical is an intermediate detectable by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. The dimeric catalyst precursor has been characterized by X-ray diffraction and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and the monomeric catalyst by ESR spectroscopy.

Tetranuclear Copper(II) Complexes Bridged by α-d-Glucose-1-Phosphate and Incorporation of Sugar Acids through the Cu4 Core Structural Changes

Tetranuclear copper(II) complexes containing alpha-D-glucose-1-phosphate (alpha-D-Glc-1P), [Cu4(mu-OH){mu-(alpha-D-Glc-1P)}2(bpy)4(H2O)2]X3 [X = NO3 (1a), Cl (1b), Br (1c)], and [Cu4(mu-OH){mu-(alpha-D-Glc-1P)}2(phen)4(H2O)2](NO3)3 (2) were prepared by reacting the copper(II) salt with Na2[alpha-D-Glc-1P] in the presence of diimine ancillary ligands, and the structure of 2 was characterized by X-ray crystallography to comprise four {Cu(phen)}2+ fragments connected by the two sugar phosphate dianions in 1,3-O,O' and 1,1-O mu4-bridging fashion as well as a mu-hydroxo anion. The crystal structure of 2 involves two chemically independent complex cations in which the C2 enantiomeric structure for the trapezoidal tetracopper(II) framework is switched according to the orientation of the alpha-D-glucopyranosyl moieties. Temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility data of 1a indicated that antiferromagnetic spin coupling is operative between the two metal ions joined by the hydroxo bridge (J = -52 cm(-1)) while antiferromagnetic interaction through the Cu-O-Cu sugar phosphate bridges is weak (J = -13 cm(-1)). Complex 1a readily reacted with carboxylic acids to afford the tetranuclear copper(II) complexes, [Cu4{mu-(alpha-D-Glc-1P)}2(mu-CA)2(bpy)4](NO3)2 [CA = CH3COO (3), o-C6H4(COO)(COOH) (4)]. Reactions with m-phenylenediacetic acid [m-C6H4(CH2COOH)2] also gave the discrete tetracopper(II) cationic complex [Cu4{mu-(alpha-D-Glc-1P)}2(mu-m-C6H4(CH2COO)(CH2COOH))2(bpy)4](NO3)2 (5a) as well as the cluster polymer formulated as {[Cu4{mu-(alpha-D-Glc-1P)}2(mu-m-C6H4(CH2COO)2)(bpy)4](NO3)2}n (5b). The tetracopper structure of 1a is converted into a symmetrical rectangular core in complexes 3, 4, and 5b, where the hydroxo bridge is dissociated and, instead, two carboxylate anions bridge another pair of Cu(II) ions in a 1,1-O monodentate fashion. The similar reactions were applied to incorporate sugar acids onto the tetranuclear copper(II) centers. Reactions of 1a with delta-D-gluconolactone, D-glucuronic acid, or D-glucaric acid in dimethylformamide resulted in the formation of discrete tetracopper complexes with sugar acids, [Cu4{mu-(alpha-D-Glc-1P)}2(mu-SA)2(bpy)4](NO3)2 [SA = D-gluconate (6), D-glucuronate (7), D-glucarateH (8a)]. The structures of 6 and 7 were determined by X-ray crystallography to be almost identical with that of 3 with additional chelating coordination of the C-2 hydroxyl group of D-gluconate moieties (6) or the C-5 cyclic O atom of D-glucuronate units (7). Those with D-glucaric acid and D-lactobionic acid afforded chiral one-dimensional polymers, {[Cu4{mu-(alpha-D-Glc-1P)}2(mu-D-glucarate)(bpy)4](NO3)2}n (8b) and {[Cu4{mu-(alpha-D-Glc-1P)}2(mu-D-lactobionate)(bpy)4(H2O)2](NO3)3}n (9), respectively, in which the D-Glc-1P-bridged tetracopper(II) units are connected by sugar acid moieties through the C-1 and C-6 carboxylate O atoms in 8b and the C-1 carboxylate and C-6 alkoxy O atoms of the gluconate chain in 9. When complex 7 containing d-glucuronate moieties was heated in water, the mononuclear copper(II) complex with 2-dihydroxy malonate, [Cu(mu-O2CC(OH)2CO2)(bpy)] (10), and the dicopper(II) complex with oxalate, [Cu2(mu-C2O4)(bpy)2(H2O)2](NO3)2 (11), were obtained as a result of oxidative degradation of the carbohydrates through C-C bond cleavage reactions.

Tri- and Tetranuclear Copper(II) Complexes Consisting of Mononuclear Cu(II) Chiral Building Blocks with a Sugar-Derived Schiff's Base Ligand

A new sugar-derived Schiff's base ligand N-(3-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-4,6-O-ethylidene-beta-D-glucopyranosylamine (H3L1) has been developed which afforded the coordinatively labile, alcoholophilic trinuclear Cu(II) complex [Cu3(L1)2(CH3OH)(H2O)] (1). Complex 1 has been further used in the synthesis of a series of alcohol-bound complexes with a common formula of [Cu3(L1)2(ROH)2] (R = Me (2), Et (3), nPr (4), nBu (5), nOct (6)). X-ray structural analyses of complexes 2-6 revealed the collinearity of trinuclear copper(II) centers with Cu-Cu-Cu angles in the range of 166-172 degrees . The terminal and central coppers are bound with NO3 and O4 atoms, respectively, and exhibit square-planar geometry. The trinuclear structures of 2-6 can be viewed as the two {Cu(L1)}- fragments capture a copper(II) ion in the central position, which is further stabilized by a hydrogen-bonding interaction between the alcohol ligands and the sugar C-3 alkoxo group. Complex 2 exhibits a strong antiferromagnetic interaction between the Cu(II) ions (J = -238 cm(-1)). Diffusion of methanol into a solution of complex 1 in a chloroform/THF mixed solvent afforded the linear trinuclear complex [Cu(3)(L1)2(CH3OH)2(THF)2] (7). The basic structure of 7 is identical to complex 2; however, THF binding about the terminal coppers (Cu-O(THF) = 2.394(7) and 2.466(7) A) has introduced the square-pyramidal geometry, indicating that the planar trinuclear complexes 2-6 are coordinatively unsaturated and the terminal metal sites are responsible for further ligations. In the venture of proton-transfer reactions, a successful proton transfer onto the saccharide C-3 alkoxo group has been achieved using 4,6-O-ethylidene-d-glucopyranose, resulting in the self-assembled tetranuclear complex, [Cu4(HL1)4] (8), consisting of the mononuclear Cu(II) chiral building blocks, {Cu(HL1)}.

Mimicking catalase and catecholase enzymes by copper(II)-containing complexes

An imidazolate-bridged copper(II)-zinc(II) complex (Cu(II)-diethylenetriamino-μ-imidazolato-Zn(II)-tris(2-aminoethyl)amine perchlorate (denoted as “Cu,Zn complex”) and a simple copper(II) complex (Cu(II)-tris(2-aminoethyl) amine chloride (“Cu-tren”) were prepared and immobilised on silica gel (by hydrogen or covalent bonds) and montmorillonite (by ion exchange). The immobilised substances were characterised by FT-IR spectroscopy and their thermal characteristics were also studied. The obtained materials were tested in two probe reactions: catalytic oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butyl catechol (DTBC) (catecholase activity) and the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (catalase activity). It was found that the catecholase activity of the Cu,Zn complex increased considerably upon immobilization on silica gel via hydrogen bonds and intercalation by ion exchange among the layers of montmorillonite. The imidazolate-bridged copper(II)-zinc(II) complex and its immobilised versions were inactive in hydrogen peroxide decomposition. The Cu(II)-tris(2-aminoethyl)amine chloride complex displayed good catalase activity; however, immobilisation could not improve it.

Amine mediated proton transfer reaction and C–Cl bond activation of solvent chloroform by a trinuclear copper(ii) complex of a glucopyranosylamine derived ligand

An amine mediated C-Cl bond activation process of the solvent chloroform has been explored by a coordinatively labile trinuclear Cu(II) complex, [Cu3(L1)2(MeOH)(H2O)] (1), derived from N-(3-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-4,6-O-ethylidene--D-glucopyranosylamine (H3L1). The effect of activation is extremely high with methylamine, resulting in the formation of [Cu(MeNH2)5]Cl2 (2) and [Cu(L2)2] (3; HL2 = 2-tert-butyl-6-[(methylimino)methyl]phenol), however, under identical conditions it is moderate with ethylamine resulting in the isolation of crystals of the intermediate amine bound trinuclear copper(II) complex, [Cu3(L1)2(EtNH2)2(MeOH)2] (5), which was further converted into the mononuclear complex, [Cu(HL1)(EtNH2)] (6), in a novel crystal-to-crystal transformation. The successive isolation of the ethylamine-bound tri- and mononuclear complexes, 5 and 6, supported the occurrence of proton transfer reactions, which might be a key step in C-Cl bond activation. The primary and secondary amines, 2-aminomethylpyridine, N,N-dimethylethylenediamine, and 1,4,7-triazacyclononane, also having chelating features further enhance the rate of activation. No activation has been noted in the case of triethylamine and N,N,N,N-tetramethylethylenediamine. Formation of a carbene-trapped compound, 2,6-xylyl isocyanide, was confirmed in the reaction of complex 1 with 1,4,7-triazacyclononane and 2,6-xylidine in CHCl3, suggesting that the C-Cl bond cleavage led to the generation of dichlorocarbene. In addition, the mononuclear complex 6 has been transformed into a homotrinuclear complex [Cu3(L1)2(MeOH)2] by treatment with Cu(II) ions in MeOH/CHCl3, suggesting the possibility that the former could be regarded as a suitable metalloligand for heterotrimetallic complex synthesis.

Synthetic models of the active site of catechol oxidase: mechanistic studies

The ability of copper proteins to process dioxygen at ambient conditions has inspired numerous research groups to study their structural, spectroscopic and catalytic properties. Catechol oxidase is a type-3 copper enzyme usually encountered in plant tissues and in some insects and crustaceans. It catalyzes the conversion of a large number of catechols into the respective o-benzoquinones, which subsequently auto-polymerize, resulting in the formation of melanin, a dark pigment thought to protect a damaged tissue from pathogens. After the report of the X-ray crystal structure of catechol oxidase a few years earlier, a large number of publications devoted to the biomimetic modeling of its active site appeared in the literature. This critical review (citing 114 references) extensively discusses the synthetic models of this enzyme, with a particular emphasis on the different approaches used in the literature to study the mechanism of the catalytic oxidation of the substrate (catechol) by these compounds. These are the studies on the substrate binding to the model complexes, the structure-activity relationship, the kinetic studies of the catalytic oxidation of the substrate and finally the substrate interaction with (per)oxo-dicopper adducts. The general overview of the recognized types of copper proteins and the detailed description of the crystal structure of catechol oxidase, as well as the proposed mechanisms of the enzymatic cycle are also presented.

Trinuclear coordinatively labile Cu(ii) complex of 4,6-O-ethylidene-β-d-glucopyranosylamine derived Schiff base ligand and its reactivity towards primary alcohols and amines

A novel neutral trinuclear Cu(II) complex of a Schiff base ligand derived from D-glucose has been synthesised and structurally characterised, which exhibits excellent alcohol binding affinity and activates the C-Cl bond of chloroform in the presence of primary amine.

Magnetostructural Studies on Ferromagnetically Coupled Copper(II) Cubanes of Schiff-Base Ligands

Three cubane copper(II) clusters, namely [Cu(4)(HL')4] (1), [Cu4L2(OH)2] (2), and [Cu4L2(OMe)2] (3), of two pentadentate Schiff-base ligands N,N'-(2-hydroxypropane-1,3-diyl)bis(acetylacetoneimine) (H3L') and N,N'-(2-hydroxypropane-1,3-diyl)bis(salicylaldimine) (H3L), are prepared, structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography, and their variable-temperature magnetic properties studied. Complex 1 has a metal-to-ligand stoichiometry of 1:1 and it crystallizes in the cubic space group P43n with a structure that consists of a tetranuclear core with metal centers linked by a mu(3)-alkoxo oxygen atom to form a cubic arrangement of the metal and oxygen atoms. Each ligand displays a tridentate binding mode which means that a total of eight pendant binding sites remain per cubane molecule. Complexes [Cu4L2(OH)2] (2) and [Cu4L2(OMe)2] (3) crystallize in the orthorhombic space group Pccn and have a cubane structure that is formed by the self-assembly of two {Cu2L}+ units. The variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility data in the range 300-18 K show ferromagnetic exchange interactions in the complexes. Along with the ferromagnetic exchange pathway, there is also a weak antiferromagnetic exchange between the copper centers. The theoretical fitting of the magnetic data gives the following parameters: J1 = 38.5 and J2 = -18 cm(-1) for 1 with a triplet (S = 1) ground state and quintet (S = 2) lowest excited state; J1 = 14.7 and J2 = -18.4 cm(-1) for 2 with a triplet ground state and singlet (S = 0) lowest excited state; and J1 = 33.3 and J2 = -15.6 cm(-1) for 3 with a triplet ground state and quintet lowest excited state, where J1 and J2 are two different exchange pathways in the cubane {Cu4O4} core. The crystal structures of 2 * 6 H2O and 3 * 2 H2O * THF show the presence of channels containing the lattice solvent molecules.