CH Bond Activation by Metal-Superoxo Species: Magnetic Coupling Correlated to High Reactivity in Metal-Superoxo species

C-H bond activation by high-valent iron/cobalt-oxo complexes: a quantum chemical modeling approach

High-valent metal-oxo species serve as key intermediates in the activation of inert C-H bonds. Here, we present a comprehensive DFT analysis of the parameters that have been proposed as influencing factors in modeled high-valent metal-oxo mediated C-H activation reactions. Our approach involves utilizing DFT calculations to explore the electronic structures of modeled FeIVO (species 1) and CoIVO ↔ CoIII-O˙ (species 2), scrutinizing their capacity to predict improved catalytic activity. DFT and DLPNO-CCSD(T) calculations predict that the iron-oxo species possesses a triplet as the ground state, while the cobalt-oxo has a doublet as the ground state. Furthermore, we have investigated the mechanistic pathways for the first C-H bond activation, as well as the desaturation of the alkanes. The mechanism was determined to be a two-step process, wherein the first hydrogen atom abstraction (HAA) represents the rate-limiting step, involving the proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) process. However, we found that the second HAA step is highly exothermic for both species. Our calculations suggest that the iron-oxo species (Fe-O = 1.672 Å) exhibit relatively sluggish behavior compared to the cobalt-oxo species (Co-O = 1.854 Å) in C-H bond activation, attributed to a weak metal-oxygen bond. MO, NBO, and deformation energy analysis reveal the importance of weakening the M-O bond in the cobalt species, thereby reducing the overall barrier to the reaction. This catalyst was found to have a C-H activation barrier relatively smaller than that previously reported in the literature.

Oxygen versus Sulfur Coordination in Cobalt Superoxo Complexes: Spectroscopic Properties, O2 Binding, and H-Atom Abstraction Reactivity

A five-coordinate, disiloxide-ligated cobalt(II) (S = 3/2) complex (1) was prepared as an oxygen-ligated analogue to the previously reported silanedithiolate-ligated CoII(Me3TACN)(S2SiMe2) (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2019, 141, 3641-3653). The structural and spectroscopic properties of 1 were analyzed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and NMR spectroscopies. The reactivity of 1 with dioxygen was examined, and it was shown to bind O2 reversibly in a range of solvents at low temperatures. A cobalt(III)-superoxo complex, CoIII(O2·-)(Me3TACN)((OSi2Ph)2O) (2), was generated, and was analyzed by UV-vis, EPR, and resonance Raman spectroscopies. Unlike its sulfur-ligated analogue, complex 2 can thermally release O2 to regenerate 1. Vibrational assignments for selective 18O isotopic labeling of both O2 and disiloxide ligands in 2 are consistent with a 6-coordinate, Co(η1-O2·-)("end-on") complex. Complex 2 reacts with the O-H bond of 4-methoxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-ol (4-MeO-TEMPOH) via H-atom abstraction with a rate of 0.58(2) M-1 s-1 at -105 °C, but it is unable to oxidize phenol substrates. This bracketed reactivity suggests that the O-H bond being formed in the putative CoIII(OOH) product has a relatively weak O-H bond strength (BDFE ∼66-74 kcal mol-1). These thermodynamic and kinetic parameters are similar to those seen for the sulfur-ligated Co(O2)(Me3TACN)(S2SiMe2), indicating that the differences in the electronic structure for O versus S ligation do not have a large impact on H-atom abstraction reactivity.

Theoretical exploration on structures, bonding aspects and molecular docking of α-aminophosphonate ligated copper complexes against SARS-CoV-2 proteases

Recent years have witnessed a growing interest in the biological activity of metal complexes of α-aminophosphonates. Here for the first time, a detailed DFT study on five α-aminophosphonate ligated mononuclear/dinuclear CuII complexes is reported using the dispersion corrected density functional (B3LYP-D2) method. The electronic structures spin densities, FMO analysis, energetic description of spin states, and theoretical reactivity behaviour using molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) maps of all five species are reported. All possible spin states of the dinuclear species were computed and their ground state S values were determined along with the computation of their magnetic coupling constants. NBO analysis was also performed to provide details on stabilization energies. A molecular docking study was performed for the five complexes against two SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus protein targets (PDB ID: 6LU7 and 7T9K). The docking results indicated that the mononuclear species had a higher binding affinity for the targets compared to the dinuclear species. Among the species investigated, species I showed the highest binding affinity with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron protease. NPA charge analysis showed that the heteroatoms of model species III had a more nucleophilic nature. A comparative study was performed to observe any variations and/or correlations in properties among all species.

Generation and Oxidative Reactivity of a Ni(II) Superoxo Complex via Ligand-Based Redox Non-Innocence

Metal ligand cooperativity is a powerful strategy in transition metal chemistry. This type of mechanism for the activation of O₂ is best exemplified by heme centers in biological systems. While aerobic oxidations with Fe and Cu are well precedented, Ni-based oxidations are frequently less common due to less-accessible metal-based redox couples. Some Ni enzymes utilize special ligand environments for tuning the Ni(II)/(III) redox couple such as strongly donating thiolates in Ni superoxide dismutase. A recently characterized example of a Ni-containing protein, however, suggests an alternative strategy for mediating redox chemistry with Ni by utilizing ligand-based reducing equivalents to enable oxygen binding. While this mechanism has little synthetic precedent, we show here that Ni complexes of the redox-active ligand ^tBu,TolDHP (^tBu,TolDHP = 2,5-bis((2-t-butylhydrazono)(p-tolyl)methyl)-pyrrole) activate O₂ to generate a Ni(II) superoxo complex via ligand-based electron transfer. This superoxo complex is competent for stoichiometric oxidation chemistry with alcohols and hydrocarbons. This work demonstrates that coupling ligand-based redox chemistry with functionally redox-inactive Ni centers enables oxidative transformations more commonly mediated by metals such as Fe and Cu.

Heme-FeIII Superoxide, Peroxide and Hydroperoxide Thermodynamic Relationships: FeIII-O2•- Complex H-Atom Abstraction Reactivity

Establishing redox and thermodynamic relationships between metal-ion-bound O₂ and its reduced (and protonated) derivatives is critically important for a full understanding of (bio)chemical processes involving dioxygen processing. Here, a ferric heme peroxide complex, [(F₈)Fe^III-(O₂^2-)]^- (P) (F₈ = tetrakis(2,6-difluorophenyl)porphyrinate), and a superoxide complex, [(F₈)Fe^III-(O₂^•-)] (S), are shown to be redox interconvertible. Using Cr(η-C₆H₆)₂, an equilibrium state where S and P are present is established in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at -80 °C, allowing determination of the reduction potential of S as -1.17 V vs Fc^+/0. P could be protonated with 2,6-lutidinium triflate, yielding the low-spin ferric hydroperoxide species, [(F₈)Fe^III-(OOH)] (HP). Partial conversion of HP back to P using a derivatized phosphazene base gave a P/HP equilibrium mixture, leading to the determination of pK_a = 28.8 for HP (THF, -80 °C). With the measured reduction potential and pK_a, the O-H bond dissociation free energy (BDFE) of hydroperoxide species HP was calculated to be 73.5 kcal/mol, employing the thermodynamic square scheme and Bordwell relationship. This calculated O-H BDFE of HP, in fact, lines up with an experimental demonstration of the oxidizing ability of S via hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from TEMPO-H (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperdine-N-hydroxide, BDFE = 66.5 kcal/mol in THF), forming the hydroperoxide species HP and TEMPO radical. Kinetic studies carried out with TEMPO-H(D) reveal second-order behavior, k_H = 0.5, k_D = 0.08 M^-1 s^-1 (THF, -80 °C); thus, the hydrogen/deuterium kinetic isotope effect (KIE) = 6, consistent with H-atom abstraction by S being the rate-determining step. This appears to be the first case where experimentally derived thermodynamics lead to a ferric heme hydroperoxide OO-H BDFE determination, that Fe^III-OOH species being formed via HAT reactivity of the partner ferric heme superoxide complex.

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.

Spin-Dependent O2 Binding to Hemoglobin

We report results of our study on the mechanism of spin-dependent O₂ binding to hemoglobin, which we represent as FePIm (Fe = iron, P = porphyrin, Im = imidazole). This involves the transition between two states, viz., the oxyhemoglobin state and the deoxyhemoglobin state. The deoxyhemoglobin state pertains to FePIm and a free O₂ molecule, while the oxyhemoglobin state pertains to an O₂ bound to FePIm. The deoxyhemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin systems have triplet and singlet total magnetizations, respectively. We found that a spin transition from triplet to quintet to singlet mediates the O₂ binding process, and this accelerates the reaction. We also found that the position of the Fe atom out of the porphyrin plane is an important indicator of O₂ affinity.

Computational Examination on the Active Site Structure of a (Peroxo)diiron(III) Intermediate in the Amine Oxygenase AurF

In this work, we report the first computational investigation on the structure and properties of the (peroxo)diiron(III) intermediate of the AurF enzyme. Our calculations predict that, in the oxidized state of the AurF enzyme, the peroxo ligand is depicted in a μ-1,1-coordination mode with a protonated bridging ligand and is not in a μ-η(2):η(2) or μ-1,2 mode. Computed spectral data for the μ-1,1-coordination mode correlate well with experimental observations and unravel the potential of the energetics-spectroscopic approach adapted here.