Bioinspired Trispyrazolylborato Nickel(II) Flavonolate Complexes and Their Reactivity Toward Dioxygen

The case for an oxidopyrylium intermediate in the mechanism of quercetin dioxygenases

The quercetin dioxygenases (QDOs) are unusual metalloenzymes in that they display ring-opening dioxygenase activity with several different first-row transition metal ions which do not undergo redox changes during turnover. The QDOs are also unique in that the substrate binds as an η1-flavonolate rather than the η2 -bidentate mode seen in all reported model complexes. The flavonol substrates were early examples of excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) phenomena, in which photoexcitation causes an H-atom exchange between the adjacent hydroxyl and ketone, generating an oxidopyrylium emissive state. These oxidopyryliums undergo ring-opening dioxygenations analogous to the enzymatic reactions. Our hypothesis is that lability of the divalent metal ion may allow access to a reactive oxidopyrylium intermediate via coordination switching from the oxy to ketone position, which allows reaction with O2. In this report, we use a straight-forward methylation strategy to generate a panel of flavonol and thioflavonol derivatives modeling several η1- and η2-coordination modes. Methylation of 3-hydroxythioflavone generates an air stable η1 hydroxopyrylium salt, which undergoes rapid ring-opening dioxygenation by deprotonation or photoexcitation. By comparison, the η1-methoxyflavonol does not react with O2 under any condition. We find that any of the studied flavonol derivatives, η1 or η2, which demonstrates ESIPT-like oxidopyrylium emissions undergo QDO-like ring-opening reactions with dioxygen. The implications of these results concerning the mechanism of QDOs and related dioxygenases is discussed.

Mononuclear nickel(ii)-flavonolate complexes of tetradentate tripodal 4N ligands as structural and functional models for quercetin 2,4-dioxygenase: structures, spectra, redox and dioxygenase activity

Three new nickel(ii)-flavonolate complexes of the type [Ni(L)(fla)](ClO4) 1-3, where L is the tripodal 4N ligand tris(pyrid-2-ylmethyl)amine (tpa, L1) or (pyrid-2-ylmethyl)bis(6-methylpyrid-2-ylmethyl)amine (6-Me2-tpa, L2) or tris(N-Et-benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)amine (Et-ntb, L3), have been isolated as functional models for Ni(ii)-containing quercetin 2,4-dioxygenase. Single crystal X-ray structures of 1 and 3 reveal that Ni(ii) is involved in π-back bonding with flavonolate (fla-), as evident from enhancement in C[double bond, length as m-dash]O bond length upon coordination [H(fla), 1.232(3); 1, 1.245(7); 3, 1.262(8) Å]. More asymmetric chelation of fla- in 3 than in 1 [Δd = (Ni-Ocarbonyl - Ni-Oenolate): 1, 0.126; 3, 0.182 Å] corresponds to lower π-delocalization in 3 with electron-releasing N-Et substituent. The optimized structures of 1-3 and their geometrical isomers have been computed by DFT methods. The HOMO and LUMO, both localized on Ni(ii)-bound fla-, are highly conjugated bonding π- and antibonding π*-orbitals respectively. They are located higher in energy than the Ni(ii)-based MOs (HOMO-1, dx2-y2; HOMO-2/6, dz2), revealing that the Ni(ii)-bound fla- rather than Ni(ii) would undergo oxidation upon exposure to dioxygen. The results of computational studies, in combination with spectral and electrochemical studies, support the involvement of redox-inactive Ni(ii) in π-back bonding with fla-, tuning the π-delocalization in fla- and hence its activation. Upon exposure to dioxygen, all the flavonolate adducts in DMF solution decompose to produce CO and depside, which then is hydrolyzed to give the corresponding acids at 70 °C. The highest rate of dioxygenase reactivity of 3 (kO2: 3 (29.10 ± 0.16) > 1 (16.67 ± 0.70) > 2 (1.81 ± 0.04 × 10-1 M-1 s-1)), determined by monitoring the disappearance of the LMCT band in the range 440-450 nm, is ascribed to the electron-releasing N-Et substituent on bzim ring, which decreases the π-delocalization in fla- and enhances its activation.

A functional model for quercetin 2,4-dioxygenase: Geometric and electronic structures and reactivity of a nickel(II) flavonolate complex

Quercetin 2,4-dioyxgenase (QueD) has been known to catalyze the oxygenative degradation of flavonoids and quercetin. Recent crystallographic study revealed a nickel ion occupies the active site as a co-factor to support O₂ activation and catalysis. Herein, we report a nickel(II) flavonolate complex bearing a tridentate macrocyclic ligand, [Ni^II(Me₃-TACN)(Fl)(NO₃)](H₂O) (1, Me₃-TACN = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane, Fl = 3-hydroxyflavone) as a functional model for QueD. The flavonolatonickel(II) complex was characterized by using spectrometric analysis including UV-vis spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectrometer (ESI-MS), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). The single crystal X-ray structure of 1 shows two isomers with respect to the direction of a flavonolate ligand. Two isomers commonly are in the octahedral geometry with a bidentate of flavonolate and a monodentate of nitrate as well as a tridentate binding of Me₃-TACN ligand. The spin state of 1 is determined to be a triplet state based on the Evans' method. Interestingly, electronic configuration of 1 from density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the two singly occupied molecular orbitals (SOMOs) lie energetically lower than the highest (doubly) occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), that is so-called the SOMO-HOMO level inversion (SHI). The HOMO shows an electron density localized in the flavonolate ligand, indicating that flavonolate ligand is oxidized first rather than the nickel center. Thermal degradation of 1 resulted in the formation of benzoic acid and salicylic acid, which is attributed to the oxygenation of flavonolate of 1.

Overview of the Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Selected Plant Compounds and Their Metal Ions Complexes

Numerous plant compounds and their metal-ion complexes exert antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and other beneficial effects. This review highlights the different bioactivities of flavonoids, chromones, and coumarins and their metal-ions complexes due to different structural characteristics. In addition to insight into the most studied antioxidative properties of these compounds, the first part of the review provides a comprehensive overview of exogenous and endogenous sources of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, oxidative stress-mediated damages of lipids and proteins, and on protective roles of antioxidant defense systems, including plant-derived antioxidants. Additionally, the review covers the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities of flavonoids, chromones, coumarins and their metal-ion complexes which support its application in medicine, pharmacy, and cosmetology.

The Behavior of Trispyrazolylborato-Metal(II)-Flavonolate Complexes as Functional Models for Bacterial Quercetinase-Assessment of the Metal Impact

A series of five compounds Tp^MesMFla (Tp^Mes = hydrotris(3-mesityl)pyrazolylborate; M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn; Fla = 3-hydroxyflavonolate) has been synthesized as models for the 2,4-quercetin dioxygenase, QueD. The structures have been determined and the complexes proved to be isomorphous. Considering the structures more closely revealed that they differ in the degree of delocalization in the chelate ring formed through the binding of the two O donors of the flavonolate to the metal center, which is also supported by the results of UV-vis and IR spectroscopic investigations. The resulting trend (Zn/Fe > Co > Mn > Ni) is, however, not in line with the one that was found investigating the redox properties of the complexes by cyclic voltammetry (Zn > Fe > Ni > Co > Mn). Notably, from CV clear-cut information could be derived, as the complexes exhibited exceptionally well-behaved quasi-reversible redox transitions, indicating that the Tp ligand stabilizes the flavonolate radical formed in the oxidation process rather well. The fact that the rates, with which the complexes react with O₂ in DMF solution, correlate with the position of the flavonolate redox couples, suggest that these reactions proceed via the initial electron transfer from the flavonolate to O₂. After the O₂ reaction, salicylic acid was identified as one of the products, the formation of which can be explained by the hydrolysis of the depside that should form upon a dioxygenation similar to the QueD enzyme-catalyzed reaction. ¹⁸O labeling experiments confirmed the presence of O₂ derived O atoms. Mechanistic inferences based on the above results are discussed.