CH Bond Activation by Metal-Superoxo Species: What Drives High Reactivity?

Theoretical study of the formation of metal-oxo species of the first transition series with the ligand 14-TMC: driving factors of the "Oxo Wall"

Terminal metal-oxo species of the early transition metal series are well known, whereas those for the late transition series are rare, and this is related to the "Oxo Wall". Here, we have undertaken a theoretical study on the formation of metal-oxo species from the metal hydroperoxo species of the 3d series (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) with the ligand 14-TMC (1,4,8,11-tetramethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) via O⋯O bond cleavage. DFT calculations reveal that the barrier for O⋯O bond cleavage is higher with the late transition metals (Co, Ni, and Cu) than the early transition metals (Cr, Mn, and Fe), and the formed late metal-oxo species are also thermodynamically less stable. The higher barrier may be due to electronic repulsion because of the pairing of d electrons. In the late transition metal series, the electron goes into an antibonding orbital, which decreases the bond order and hence decreases the possibility of metal-oxo formation. Computed structural parameters and spin densities suggest that valence tautomerism occurs in the late transition metal-oxo species which remain as a metal-oxyl. Our findings support the concept of the "Oxo Wall".

Electronic, geometrical and photophysical facets of five coordinated porphyrin N-heterocyclic carbene transition metals complexes: A theoretical study

In the realm of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), the 3d transition metals as photosensitizers are scarcely studied. In the present work, electronic structures, FMO, MEP surfaces, NBO analysis, energetics and photophysical properties of earth abundant metals (Mn, Fe and Co) based metalloporphyrins coordinated with NHC-carbene have been explored by using DFT and TDDFT calculations. According to formation energies and energy decomposition analysis (EDA), the cobalt based metalloporphyrins species are found to be more stable while in contrast manganese based species are predicted as more reactive among all. Also, from the ligation point of view, the TPP (meso-tetraphenylporphyrin) ligand forms more steady and rigid coordination as compare to the TTP (meso-tetratolylporphyrin) ligand. FMO analysis also support these observations. NBO and SNO results support the electronic configurations as well as unveil the controversial bonding pattern of NHC_carbon and metal atom and found that there is σ-bonding present between the metal and the NHC_carbon by the overlapping of sp-hybridized orbitals of carbene_carbon and sp/d hybrid orbital of the metal atom. TDDFT results show that the highest light harvesting efficiency (LHE) of all the studied species is found under the range of 360 nm - 380 nm (λ) and this may due to the presence of longer π-conjugations. In-depth investigation of this work may help to design new robust energy harvesting systems for high energy conversion efficiency based on earth abundance metals. Our results are in well agreement with the available experimental findings.

Effect of the ring size of TMC ligands in controlling C-H bond activation by metal-superoxo species

Metal-superoxo species play a very important role in many metal-mediated catalytic transformation reactions. Their catalytic reactivity is affected by many factors such as the nature of metal ions and ring size of ligands. Herein, for the first time, we report DFT calculations on the electronic structures of a series of metal-superoxo species (M = V, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Co) with two ring size ligands, i.e., 13-TMC/14-TMC, and a detailed mechanistic study on the C-H bond activation of cyclohexa-1,4-diene followed by the effect of the ring size of ligands. Our DFT results showed that the electron density at the distal oxygen plays an important role in C-H bond activation. By computing the energetics of C-H bond activation and mapping the potential energy surface, it was found that the initial hydrogen abstraction is the rate-determining step with both TMC rings and all the studied metal-superoxo species. The significant electron density at the cyclohex-1,4-diene carbon indicates that the reaction proceeds via the proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism. By mapping the potential energy surfaces, we found that the 13-TMC ligated superoxo with the anti-isomer are more reactive than the 14-TMC superoxo species except for the iron-superoxo species where the 14-TMC ligated superoxo species is more reactive i.e. smaller ring size TMC is more reactive towards C-H bond activation. This is also supported by the structural correlation, i.e., the greater contraction in the smaller ring results in the metal being pushed out of plane along the z-axis, which reduces the steric hindrance. Thus, the ring size can help in designing catalysts with better efficiency for catalytic reactions.

Theoretical insights for generation of terminal metal-oxo species and involvement of the “oxo wall”

This work is based on a deep insight on the formation of high-valent metal-oxo by the O⋯O bond cleavage of metal hydroperoxo species and our theoretical findings also illustrate the concept “oxo wall”.

Exploring solvent dependent catecholase activity in transition metal complexes: an experimental and theoretical approach

Four coordination compounds are designed with pyridinemethanol ligands, characterized with spectral, magnetic and X-ray analyses, and assessed for catecholase activity in various solvents.

Mechanistic insights into the allylic oxidation of aliphatic compounds by tetraamido iron(v) species: A C–H vs. O–H bond activation

This work is based on a deep insight into a comparative study of C–H vs. O–H bond activation of allylic compound by the high valent iron complex. Our theoretical findings can help to design catalysts with better efficiency for catalytic reactions.

A Nonheme Thiolate-Ligated Cobalt Superoxo Complex: Synthesis and Spectroscopic Characterization, Computational Studies, and Hydrogen Atom Abstraction Reactivity

The synthesis and characterization of a Co(II) dithiolato complex Co(Me₃TACN)(S₂SiMe₂) (1) are reported. Reaction of 1 with O₂ generates a rare thiolate-ligated cobalt-superoxo species Co(O₂)(Me₃TACN)(S₂SiMe₂) (2) that was characterized spectroscopically and structurally by resonance Raman, EPR, and X-ray absorption spectroscopies as well as density functional theory. Metal-superoxo species are proposed to S-oxygenate metal-bound thiolate donors in nonheme thiol dioxygenases, but 2 does not lead to S-oxygenation of the intramolecular thiolate donors and does not react with exogenous sulfur donors. However, complex 2 is capable of oxidizing the O-H bonds of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-ol derivatives via H atom abstraction. Complementary proton-coupled electron-transfer reactivity is seen for 2 with separated proton/reductant pairs. The reactivity studies indicate that 2 can abstract H atoms from weak X-H bonds with bond dissociation free energy (BDFE) ≤ 70 kcal mol^-1. DFT calculations predict that the putative Co(OOH) product has an O-H BDFE = 67 kcal mol^-1, which matches the observed pattern of reactivity seen for 2. These data provide new information regarding the selectivity of S-oxygenation versus H atom abstraction in thiolate-ligated nonheme metalloenzymes that react with O₂.

M, Ahmad M, Shahid M. Synthesis, characterization, theoretical studies and catecholase like activities of [MO6] type complexes

Co(ii) and Zn(ii) complexes are prepared and characterized through spectral, crystallographic and theoretical studies. The Co(ii) complex is shown to be a catechol oxidase mimic and the activity is corroborated by DFT results.

Stereoselective Metabolism of Omeprazole by Cytochrome P450 2C19 and 3A4: Mechanistic Insights from DFT Study

The efficacy of S-omeprazole as a proton pump inhibitor compared with that of its enantiomer R-omeprazole is studied using density functional theoretical calculations. The pharmacokinetic studies suggest that the efficacy of S-omeprazole presumably depends on metabolic pathway and excretion from the human body. The density functional theory calculations at SMD_water-B3LYP-D3/6-311+G(d,p)/LANL2DZ//B3LYP/6-31G(d)/LANL2DZ with triradicaloid model active species, [Por^•+Fe^IV(SH)O], of CYP2C19 enzyme with high-spin quartet and low-spin doublet states demonstrate C-H bond activation mechanism through a two-state rebound process for the hydroxylation of R-omeprazole and S-omeprazole. The calculated activation free energy barriers for the hydrogen abstraction are 15.7 and 17.5 kcal/mol for R-omeprazole and S-omeprazole, respectively. The hydroxylation of R-omeprazole and S-omeprazole is thermodynamically favored; however, the hydroxylated intermediate of S-omeprazole further disintegrates to metabolite 5- O-desmethylomeprazole with a higher kinetic barrier. We have examined the sulfoxidation of S-omeprazole to omeprazole sulfone metabolite by CYP3A4, and the observed activation free energy barrier is 9.9 kcal/mol. The computational results reveal that CYP2C19 exclusively metabolizes R-omeprazole to hydroxyomeprazole, which is hydrophilic and can easily excrete, whereas CYP3A4 metabolizes S-omeprazole to lipophilic sulfone; hence, the excretion of this metabolite would be relatively slower from the body. The spin density analysis and molecular orbital analysis performed using biorthogonalization calculations indicate that R-omeprazole favors high-spin pathway for metabolism process whereas S-omeprazole prefers the low-spin pathway.