Mechanism of N–N Bond Formation by Transition Metal–Nitrosyl Complexes: Modeling Flavodiiron Nitric Oxide Reductases

Coordination Variations within Binuclear Copper Dioxygen-Derived (Hydro)Peroxo and Superoxo Species; Influences upon Thermodynamic and Electronic Properties

Copper ion is a versatile and ubiquitous facilitator of redox chemical and biochemical processes. These include the binding of molecular oxygen to copper(I) complexes where it undergoes stepwise reduction-protonation. A detailed understanding of thermodynamic relationships between such reduced/protonated states is key to elucidate the fundamentals of the chemical/biochemical processes involved. The dicopper(I) complex [CuI2(BPMPO-)]1+ {BPMPOH = 2,6-bis{[(bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amino]methyl}-4-methylphenol)} undergoes cryogenic dioxygen addition; further manipulations in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran generate dicopper(II) peroxo [CuII2(BPMPO-)(O22-)]1+, hydroperoxo [CuII2(BPMPO-)(-OOH)]2+, and superoxo [CuII2(BPMPO-)(O2•-)]2+ species, characterized by UV-vis, resonance Raman and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies, and cold spray ionization mass spectrometry. An unexpected EPR spectrum for [CuII2(BPMPO-)(O2•-)]2+ is explained by the analysis of its exchange-coupled three-spin frustrated system and DFT calculations. A redox equilibrium, [CuII2(BPMPO-)(O22-)]1+ ⇄ [CuII2(BPMPO-)(O2•-)]2+, is established utilizing Me8Fc+/Cr(η6-C6H6)2, allowing for [CuII2(BPMPO-)(O2•-)]2+/[CuII2(BPMPO-)(O22-)]1+ reduction potential calculation, E°' = -0.44 ± 0.01 V vs Fc+/0, also confirmed by cryoelectrochemical measurements (E°' = -0.40 ± 0.01 V). 2,6-Lutidinium triflate addition to [CuII2(BPMPO-)(O22-)]1+ produces [CuII2(BPMPO-)(-OOH)]2+; using a phosphazene base, an acid-base equilibrium was achieved, pKa = 22.3 ± 0.7 for [CuII2(BPMPO-)(-OOH)]2+. The BDFEOO-H = 80.3 ± 1.2 kcal/mol, as calculated for [CuII2(BPMPO-)(-OOH)]2+; this is further substantiated by H atom abstraction from O-H substrates by [CuII2(BPMPO-)(O2•-)]2+ forming [CuII2(BPMPO-)(-OOH)]2+. In comparison to known analogues, the thermodynamic and spectroscopic properties of [CuII2(BPMPO-)] O2-derived adducts can be accounted for based on chelate ring size variations built into the BPMPO- framework and the resulting enhanced CuII-ion Lewis acidity.

Reactivity of Thiolate and Hydrosulfide with a Mononuclear {FeNO}7 Complex Featuring a Very High N-O Stretching Frequency

Synthesis, characterization, electronic structure, and redox reactions of a mononuclear {FeNO}7 complex with a very high N-O stretching frequency in solution are presented. Nitrosylation of [(LKP)Fe(DMF)]2+ (1) (LKP = tris((1-methyl-4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methyl)amine) produced a five-coordinate {FeNO}7 complex, [(LKP)Fe(NO)]2+ (2). While complex 2 could accommodate an additional water molecule to generate a six-coordinate {FeNO}7 complex, [(LKP)Fe(NO)(H2O)]2+ (3), the coordinated H2O in 3 dissociates to generate 2 in solution. The molecular structure of 2 features a nearly linear Fe-N-O unit with an Fe-N distance of 1.744(4) Å, N-O distance of 1.162(5) Å, and Collapse

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Affiliation(s)

Soumik Karmakar School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
Suman Patra School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
Koushik Pramanik School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
Amit Adhikary Department of Chemistry, Technology Campus, University of Calcutta, JD Block, Sector III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700098, India
Abhishek Dey School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
Amit Majumdar School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India

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Electronic Structure and Reactivity of Mononuclear Nonheme Iron-Peroxo Complexes as a Biomimetic Model of Rieske Oxygenases: Ring Size Effects of Macrocyclic Ligands

We report the macrocyclic ring size-electronic structure-electrophilic reactivity correlation of mononuclear nonheme iron(III)-peroxo complexes bearing N-tetramethylated cyclam analogues (n-TMC), [FeIII(O2)(12-TMC)]+ (1), [FeIII(O2)(13-TMC)]+ (2), and [FeIII(O2)(14-TMC)]+ (3), as a model study of Rieske oxygenases. The Fe(III)-peroxo complexes show the same δ and pseudo-σ bonds between iron and the peroxo ligand. However, the strength of these interactions varies depending on the ring size of the n-TMC ligands; the overall Fe-O bond strength and the strength of the Fe-O2 δ bond increase gradually as the ring size of the n-TMC ligands becomes smaller, such as from 14-TMC to 13-TMC to 12-TMC. MCD spectroscopy plays a key role in assigning the characteristic low-energy δ → δ* LMCT band, which provides direct insight into the strength of the Fe-O2 δ bond and which, in turn, is correlated with the superoxo character of the iron-peroxo group. In oxidation reactions, reactivities of 1-3 toward hydrocarbon C-H bond activation are compared, revealing the reactivity order of 1 > 2 > 3; the [FeIII(O2)(n-TMC)]+ complex with a smaller n-TMC ring size, 12-TMC, is much more reactive than that with a larger n-TMC ring size, 14-TMC. DFT analysis shows that the Fe(III)-peroxo complex is not reactive toward C-H bonds, but it is the end-on Fe(II)-superoxo valence tautomer that is responsible for the observed reactivity. The hydrogen atom abstraction (HAA) reactivity of these intermediates is correlated with the overall donicity of the n-TMC ligand, which modulates the energy of the singly occupied π* superoxo frontier orbital that serves as the electron acceptor in the HAA reaction. The implications of these results for the mechanism of Rieske oxygenases are further discussed.

Exploring second coordination sphere effects in flavodiiron nitric oxide reductase model complexes

Flavodiiron nitric oxide reductases (FNORs) equip pathogens with resistance to nitric oxide (NO), an important immune defense agent in mammals, allowing these pathogens to proliferate in the human body, potentially causing chronic infections. Understanding the mechanism of how FNORs mediate the reduction of NO contributes to the greater goal of developing new therapeutic approaches against drug-resistant strains. Recent density functional theory calculations suggest that a second coordination sphere (SCS) tyrosine residue provides a hydrogen bond that is critical for the reduction of NO to N2O at the active site of FNORs [J. Lu, B. Bi, W. Lai and H. Chen, Origin of Nitric Oxide Reduction Activity in Flavo-Diiron NO Reductase: Key Roles of the Second Coordination Sphere, Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 2019, 58, 3795-3799]. Specifically, this H-bond stabilizes the hyponitrite intermediate and reduces the energetic barrier for the N-N coupling step. At the same time, the role of the Fe⋯Fe distance and its effect on the N-N coupling step has not been fully investigated. In this study, we equipped the H[BPMP] (= 2,6-bis[[bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amino]methyl]-4-methylphenol) ligand with SCS amide groups and investigated the corresponding diiron complexes with 0-2 bridging acetate ligands. These amide groups can form hydrogen bonds with the bridging acetate ligand(s) and potentially the coordinated NO groups in these model complexes. At the same time, by changing the number of bridging acetate ligands, we can systematically vary the Fe⋯Fe distance. The reactivity of these complexes with NO was then investigated, and the formation of stable iron(II)-NO complexes was observed. Upon one-electron reduction, these NO complexes form Dinitrosyl Iron Complexes (DNICs), which were further characterized using IR and EPR spectroscopy.

Coordinatively Unsaturated Nickel Nitroxyl Complex: Structure, Physicochemical Properties, and Reactivity toward Dioxygen

For its important roles in biology, nitrogen monoxide (·NO) has become one of the most studied and fascinating molecules in chemistry. ·NO itself acts as a "noninnocent" or "redox active" ligand to transition metal ions to give metal-NO (M-NO) complexes. Because of this uncertainty due to redox chemistry, the real description of the electronic structure of the M-NO unit requires extensive spectroscopic and theoretical studies. We previously reported the Ni-NO complex with a hindered N3 type ligand [Ni(NO)(L3)] (L3- denotes hydrotris(3-tertiary butyl-5-isopropyl-1-pyrazolyl)borate anion), which contains a high-spin (hs) nickel(II) center and a coordinated 3NO-. This complex is very stable toward dioxygen due to steric protection of the nickel(II) center. Here, we report the dioxygen reactivity of a new Ni-NO complex, [Ni(NO)(I)(L1″)], with a less hindered N2 type bis(pyrazolyl)methane ligand, which creates a coordinatively unsaturated ligand environment about the nickel center. Here, L1″ denotes bis(3,5-diisopropyl-1-pyrazolyl)methane. This complex is also described as a hs-nickel(II) center with a bound 3NO-, based on spectroscopic and theoretical studies. Unexpectedly, the reaction of [Ni(NO)(I)(L1″)] with O2 yielded [Ni(κ2-O2N)(L1″)2](I3), with the oxidation of both 3NO- and the I- ion to yield NO2- and I3-. Both complexes were characterized by X-ray crystallography, IR, and UV-Vis spectroscopy and theoretical calculations.

Reductive Coupling of Nitric Oxide by Cu(I): Stepwise Formation of Mono- and Dinitrosyl Species En Route to a Cupric Hyponitrite Intermediate

Transition-metal-mediated reductive coupling of nitric oxide (NO(g)) to nitrous oxide (N2O(g)) has significance across the fields of industrial chemistry, biochemistry, medicine, and environmental health. Herein, we elucidate a density functional theory (DFT)-supplemented mechanism of NO(g) reductive coupling at a copper-ion center, [(tmpa)CuI(MeCN)]+ (1) {tmpa = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine}. At -110 °C in EtOH (<-90 °C in MeOH), exposing 1 to NO(g) leads to a new binuclear hyponitrite intermediate [{(tmpa)CuII}2(μ-N2O22-)]2+ (2), exhibiting temperature-dependent irreversible isomerization to the previously characterized κ2-O,O'-trans-[(tmpa)2Cu2II(μ-N2O22-)]2+ (OOXray) complex. Complementary stopped-flow kinetic analysis of the reaction in MeOH reveals an initial mononitrosyl species [(tmpa)Cu(NO)]+ (1-(NO)) that binds a second NO molecule, forming a dinitrosyl species [(tmpa)CuII(NO)2] (1-(NO)2). The decay of 1-(NO)2 requires an available starting complex 1 to form a dicopper-dinitrosyl species hypothesized to be [{(tmpa)Cu}2(μ-NO)2]2+ (D) bearing a diamond-core motif, en route to the formation of hyponitrite intermediate 2. In contrast, exposing 1 to NO(g) in 2-MeTHF/THF (v/v 4:1) at <-80 °C leads to the newly observed transient metastable dinitrosyl species [(tmpa)CuII(NO)2] (1-(NO)2) prior to its disproportionation-mediated transformation to the nitrite product [(tmpa)CuII(NO2)]+. Our study furnishes a near-complete profile of NO(g) activation at a reduced Cu site with tripodal tetradentate ligation in two distinctly different solvents, aided by detailed spectroscopic characterization of metastable intermediates, including resonance Raman characterization of the new dinitrosyl and hyponitrite species detected.

Reductive NO Coupling at Dicopper Center via a [Cu2(NO)2]2+ Diamond-Core Intermediate

Treatment of a dicopper(I,I) complex with excess amounts of NO leads to the formation of a dicopper dinitrosyl [Cu₂(NO)₂]²⁺ complex capable of (i) releasing two equivalents of NO reversibly in 90% yield and (ii) reacting with another equivalent of NO to afford N₂O and dicopper nitrosyl oxo species [Cu₂(NO)(O)]²⁺. Resonance Raman characterization of the [Cu₂(NO)₂]²⁺ complex shows a ¹⁵N-sensitive N═O stretch at 1527.6 cm^-1 and two Cu-N stretches at 390.6 and 414.1 cm^-1, supporting a symmetric diamond-core structure with bis-μ-NO ligands. The conversion of [Cu₂(NO)₂]²⁺ to [Cu₂(NO)O]²⁺ occurs via a rate-limiting reaction with NO and bypasses the dicopper oxo intermediate, a mechanism distinct from that of diFe-mediated NO reduction to N₂O.

Stable Bimetallic FeII/{Fe(NO)2}9 Moiety Derived from Reductive Transformations of a Diferrous-dinitrosyl Species

A dimeric dithiolate-bridged species, [Fe(NO)(PS2)]₂ (1) containing two {FeNO}⁷ units, can be isolated by treating [Fe(CO)₂(NO)₂] with PS2H₂ (PS2H₂ = bis(2-dimercaptophenyl)phenylphosphine). Crystallographic studies reveal the syn-configuration of NO units and the bridging thiolates in the butterfly shape of the 2Fe2S core. Addition of PPh₃ to the solution of dinuclear 1 leads to the formation of mononuclear {FeNO}⁷ [Fe(NO)(PS2)(PPh₃)] (2) that shows electrochemical responses similar to those of 1. One-electron reduction of 1 with Cp*₂Co or KC₈ results in the isolation of thiolate-bridged bimetallic DNIC, [(PS2)Fe(μ-PS2)Fe(NO)₂]^- ([3]^-), confirmed by several spectroscopies including single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The bimetallic DNIC [3]^- is a rare example obtained from the one-electron reduction of a dinuclear Fe-NO {FeNO}⁷ model complex. With the assistance of redox behaviors of 2, electrochemical studies imply that the reduction of 1 leads to the formation of a mononuclear {FeNO}⁸ [Fe(NO)(PS2)(THF)]^- intermediate, which involves disproportionation or NO^- transfer to yield [3]^-. Based on IR data and magnetic properties, the electronic structure of [3]^- can be described as a Fe^II/{Fe(NO)₂}⁹ state. Isolation of the {Fe(NO)₂}⁹ moiety coordinated by the Fe ancillary complex lends strong support to the NO scrambling behavior in the effectiveness of the activity of flavodiiron nitric oxide reductases (FNORs).

Direct Reduction of NO to N2O by a Mononuclear Nonheme Thiolate Ligated Iron(II) Complex via Formation of a Metastable {FeNO}7 Complex

Addition of NO to a nonheme dithiolate-ligated iron(II) complex, FeII(Me3TACN)(S2SiMe2) (1), results in the generation of N2O. Low-temperature spectroscopic studies reveal a metastable six-coordinate {FeNO}7 intermediate (S = 3/2) that was trapped at -135 °C and was characterized by low-temperature UV-vis, resonance Raman, EPR, Mössbauer, XAS, and DFT studies. Thermal decay of the {FeNO}7 species leads to the evolution of N2O, providing a rare example of a mononuclear thiolate-ligated {FeNO}7 that mediates NO reduction to N2O without the requirement of any exogenous electron or proton sources.

What Is the Right Level of Activation of a High-Spin {FeNO}7 Complex to Enable Direct N-N Coupling? Mechanistic Insight into Flavodiiron NO Reductases

Flavodiiron nitric oxide reductases (FNORs), found in pathogenic bacteria, are capable of reducing nitric oxide (NO) to nitrous oxide (N₂O) to detoxify NO released by the human immune system. Previously, we reported the first FNOR model system that mediates direct NO reduction (Dong, H. T.; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 13429-13440), but no intermediate of the reaction could be characterized. Here, we present a new set of model complexes that, depending on the ligand substitution, can either mediate direct NO reduction or stabilize a highly activated high-spin (hs) {FeNO}⁷ complex, the first intermediate of the reaction. The precursors, [{Fe^II(MPA-(RPhO)₂)}₂] (1, R = H and 2, R = ^tBu, Me), were prepared first and fully characterized. Complex 1 (without steric protection) directly reduces NO to N₂O almost quantitatively, which constitutes only the second example of this reaction in model systems. Contrarily, the reaction of sterically protected 2 with NO forms the stable mononitrosyl complex 3, which shows one of the lowest N-O stretching frequencies (1689 cm^-1) observed so far for a mononuclear hs-{FeNO}⁷ complex. This study confirms that an N-O stretch ≤1700 cm^-1 represents the appropriate level of activation of the FeNO unit to enable direct NO reduction. The higher activation level of these hs-{FeNO}⁷ complexes required for NO reduction compared to those formed in FNORs emphasizes the importance of hydrogen bonding residues in the active sites of FNORs to activate the bound NO ligands for direct N-N coupling and N₂O formation. The implications of these results for FNORs are further discussed.

NO Coupling at Copper to cis-Hyponitrite: N2O Formation via Protonation and H-Atom Transfer

Copper nitrite reductases (CuNIRs) convert NO2- to NO as well as NO to N2O under high NO flux at a mononuclear type 2 Cu center. While model complexes illustrate N-N coupling from NO that results in symmetric trans-hyponitrite [CuII]-ONNO-[CuII] complexes, we report NO assembly at a single Cu site in the presence of an external reductant Cp*2M (M = Co, Fe) to give the first copper cis-hyponitrites [Cp*2M]{[CuII](κ2-O2N2)[CuI]}. Importantly, the κ1-N-bound [CuI] fragment may be easily removed by the addition of mild Lewis bases such as CNAr or pyridine to form the spectroscopically similar anion {[CuII](κ2-O2N2)}-. The addition of electrophiles such as H+ to these anionic copper(II) cis-hyponitrites leads to N2O generation with the formation of the dicopper(II)-bis-μ-hydroxide [CuII]2(μ-OH)2. One-electron oxidation of the {[CuII](κ2-O2N2)}- core turns on H-atom transfer reactivity, enabling the oxidation of 9,10-dihydroanthracene to anthracene with concomitant formation of N2O and [CuII]2(μ-OH)2. These studies illustrate both the reductive coupling of NO at a single copper center and a way to harness the strong oxidizing power of nitric oxide via the neutral cis-hyponitrite [Cu](κ2-O2N2).

Mechanistic study on reduction of nitric oxide to nitrous oxide using a dicopper complex

A density functional theory study was carried out to investigate the reduction mechanisms of NO to N₂O using a dicopper complex reported by Zhang and coworkers (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2019, 141, 10159-10164). The reaction mechanism consists of three steps: N-N bond formation, isomerization of the resultant N₂O₂ moiety, and cleavage of the N-O bond.

Distortion of the [FeNO]2 Core in Flavodiiron Nitric Oxide Reductase Models Inhibits N-N Bond Formation and Promotes Formation of Unusual Dinitrosyl Iron Complexes: Implications for Catalysis and Reactivity

Flavodiiron nitric oxide reductases (FNORs) carry out the reduction of nitric oxide (NO) to nitrous oxide (N₂O), allowing infectious pathogens to mitigate toxic levels of NO generated in the human immune response. We previously reported the model complex [Fe₂(BPMP)(OPr)(NO)₂](OTf)₂ (1, OPr^- = propionate) that contains two coplanar NO ligands and that is capable of quantitative NO reduction to N₂O [White et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 2562-2574]. Here we investigate, for the first time, how a distortion of the active site affects the ability of the diiron core to mediate N₂O formation. For this purpose, we prepared several analogues of 1 that contain two monodentate ligands in place of the bridging carboxylate, [Fe₂(BPMP)(X)₂(NO)₂]^3+/1+ (2-X; X = triflate, 1-methylimidazole, or methanol). Structural data of 2-X show that without the bridging carboxylate, the diiron core expands, leading to elongated (O)N-N(O) distances (from 2.80 Å in 1 to 3.00-3.96 Å in 2-X) and distorted (O)N-Fe-Fe-N(O) dihedral angles (from coplanarity (5.9°) in 1 to 52.9-85.1° in 2-X). Whereas 1 produces quantitative amounts of N₂O upon one-electron reduction, N₂O production is substantially impeded in 2-X, to an initial 5-10% N₂O yield. The main products after reduction are unprecedented hs-Fe^II/{Fe(NO)₂}^9/10 dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs). Even though mononuclear DNICs are stable and do not show N-N coupling (since it is a spin-forbidden process), the hs-Fe^II/{Fe(NO)₂}^9/10 DNICs obtained from 2-X show unexpected reactivity and produce up to quantitative N₂O yields after 2 h. The implications of these results for the active site structure of FNORs are discussed.

The Biologically Relevant Coordination Chemistry of Iron and Nitric Oxide: Electronic Structure and Reactivity

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule that is involved in a wide range of physiological and pathological events in biology. Metal coordination chemistry, especially with iron, is at the heart of many biological transformations involving NO. A series of heme proteins, nitric oxide synthases (NOS), soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), and nitrophorins, are responsible for the biosynthesis, sensing, and transport of NO. Alternatively, NO can be generated from nitrite by heme- and copper-containing nitrite reductases (NIRs). The NO-bearing small molecules such as nitrosothiols and dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs) can serve as an alternative vehicle for NO storage and transport. Once NO is formed, the rich reaction chemistry of NO leads to a wide variety of biological activities including reduction of NO by heme or non-heme iron-containing NO reductases and protein post-translational modifications by DNICs. Much of our understanding of the reactivity of metal sites in biology with NO and the mechanisms of these transformations has come from the elucidation of the geometric and electronic structures and chemical reactivity of synthetic model systems, in synergy with biochemical and biophysical studies on the relevant proteins themselves. This review focuses on recent advancements from studies on proteins and model complexes that not only have improved our understanding of the biological roles of NO but also have provided foundations for biomedical research and for bio-inspired catalyst design in energy science.

Photoinduced linkage isomers in a model ruthenium nitrosyl complex: Identification and assignment of vibrational modes

Photoinduced NO-linkage isomers were investigated in the solid state of labelled trans-[Ru(^14/15NO)(py₄)F](ClO₄)₂ complex by combined IR-spectroscopy and DFT calculations. Based on the experimental data and the DFT calculations of this isotopically labelled ^14/15NO nitrosyl compound, we present a complete assignment of the vibrational bands of three nitrosyl linkage isomers in a range from 4000 to 200 cm^-1. The calculated IR-spectra match well with the experimental data allowing reliable assignment of the vibrational bands. The structural change from the Ru-NO (GS) to the Ru-ON (MS1) and Ru-η²-(NO) (MS2) linkage configuration leads to the downshift of the ν(NO) and ν(Ru-(NO)) bands, and a corresponding increase of the energy of the ν(Ru-F) band. The shift of the bands corresponds to the change of the Ru-(NO) and Ru-F bond lengths: increase of the Ru-(NO) bond length leads to the decrease of the energy of the ν(Ru-(NO)) band; decrease of the Ru-F bond length leads to the increase of the energy of the ν(Ru-F) band. These observations can be extrapolated to the family of related nitrosyl complexes and therefore be used for the qualitative prediction of the Ru-(NO) and Ru-L_trans-to-NO bond lengths of different linkage isomers in the framework of one complex. While the formation of linkage isomers is a reversible process, long-time irradiation sometimes induces irreversible reactions such as the release of NO. Here, we show that the photolysis of trans-[Ru(^14/15NO)(py₄)F](ClO₄)₂ in KBr pellets may lead to the release of nitrous oxide N₂O, conceivably through the formation of a {Ru-(κ²-ONNO)} intermediate.

A Nonheme Mononuclear {FeNO}7 Complex that Produces N2 O in the Absence of an Exogenous Reductant

A new nonheme iron(II) complex, Fe^II (Me₃ TACN)((OSi^Ph2 )₂ O) (1), is reported. Reaction of 1 with NO_(g) gives a stable mononitrosyl complex Fe(NO)(Me₃ TACN)((OSi^Ph2 )₂ O) (2), which was characterized by Mössbauer (δ=0.52 mm s^-1 , |ΔE_Q |=0.80 mm s^-1 ), EPR (S=3/2), resonance Raman (RR) and Fe K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopies. The data show that 2 is an {FeNO}⁷ complex with an S=3/2 spin ground state. The RR spectrum (λ_exc =458 nm) of 2 combined with isotopic labeling (¹⁵ N, ¹⁸ O) reveals ν(N-O)=1680 cm^-1 , which is highly activated, and is a nearly identical match to that seen for the reactive mononitrosyl intermediate in the nonheme iron enzyme FDPnor (ν(NO)=1681 cm^-1 ). Complex 2 reacts rapidly with H₂ O in THF to produce the N-N coupled product N₂ O, providing the first example of a mononuclear nonheme iron complex that is capable of converting NO to N₂ O in the absence of an exogenous reductant.

Nickel-mediated N-N bond formation and N2O liberation via nitrogen oxyanion reduction

The syntheses of (DIM)Ni(NO₃)₂ and (DIM)Ni(NO₂)₂, where DIM is a 1,4-diazadiene bidentate donor, are reported to enable testing of bis boryl reduced N-heterocycles for their ability to carry out stepwise deoxygenation of coordinated nitrate and nitrite, forming O(Bpin)₂. Single deoxygenation of (DIM)Ni(NO₂)₂ yields the tetrahedral complex (DIM)Ni(NO)(ONO), with a linear nitrosyl and κ¹-ONO. Further deoxygenation of (DIM)Ni(NO)(ONO) results in the formation of dimeric [(DIM)Ni(NO)]₂, where the dimer is linked through a Ni–Ni bond. The lost reduced nitrogen byproduct is shown to be N₂O, indicating N–N bond formation in the course of the reaction. Isotopic labelling studies establish that the N–N bond of N₂O is formed in a bimetallic Ni₂ intermediate and that the two nitrogen atoms of (DIM)Ni(NO)(ONO) become symmetry equivalent prior to N–N bond formation. The [(DIM)Ni(NO)]₂ dimer is susceptible to oxidation by AgX (X = NO₃⁻, NO₂⁻, and OTf⁻) as well as nitric oxide, the latter of which undergoes nitric oxide disproportionation to yield N₂O and (DIM)Ni(NO)(ONO). We show that the first step in the deoxygenation of (DIM)Ni(NO)(ONO) to liberate N₂O is outer sphere electron transfer, providing insight into the organic reductants employed for deoxygenation. Lastly, we show that at elevated temperatures, deoxygenation is accompanied by loss of DIM to form either pyrazine or bipyridine bridged polymers, with retention of a BpinO⁻ bridging ligand.

Deoxygenation of nitrogen oxyanions coordinated to nickel using reduced borylated heterocycles leads to N–N bond formation and N₂O liberation. The nickel dimer product facilitates NO disproportionation, leading to a synthetic cycle.

Reduction of NO by diiron complexes in relation to flavodiiron nitric oxide reductases

Reduction of nitric oxide (NO) to nitrous oxide (N₂O) is associated with immense biological and health implications. Flavodiiron nitric oxide reductases (FNORs) are diiron containing enzymes that catalyze the two electron reduction of NO to N₂O and help certain pathogenic bacteria to survive under "nitrosative stress" in anaerobic growth conditions. Consequently, invading bacteria can proliferate inside the body of mammals by bypassing the immune defense mechanism involving NO and may thus lead to harmful infections. Various mechanisms, namely the direct reduction, semireduction, superreduction and hyponitrite mechanisms, have been proposed over time for catalytic NO reduction by FNORs. Model studies in relation to the diiron active site of FNORs have immensely helped to replicate the minimal structure-reactivity relationship and to understand the mechanism of NO reduction. A brief overview of the FNOR activity and the proposed reaction mechanisms followed by a systematic description and detailed analysis of the model studies is presented, which describes the development in the area of NO reduction by diiron complexes and its implications. A great deal of successful modeling chemistry as well as the shortcomings related to the synthesis and reactivity studies is discussed in detail. Finally, future prospects in this particular area of research are proposed, which in due course may bring more clarity in the understanding of this important redox reaction.

Mechanistic Pathways for N2O Elimination from trans-R3Sn-O-N═N-O-SnR3 and for Reversible Binding of CO2 to R3Sn-O-SnR3 (R = Ph, Cy)

The rate and mechanism of the elimination of N₂O from trans-R₃Sn-O-N═N-O-SnR₃ (R = Ph (1^Ph) and R = Cy (1^Cy)) to form R₃Sn-O-SnR₃ (R = Ph (2^Ph) and R = Cy (2^Cy)) have been studied using both NMR and IR techniques to monitor the reactions in the temperature range of 39-79 °C in C₆D₆. Activation parameters for this reaction are ΔH^⧧ = 15.8 ± 2.0 kcal·mol^-1 and ΔS^⧧ = -28.5 ± 5 cal·mol^-1·K^-1 for 1^Ph and ΔH^⧧ = 22.7 ± 2.5 kcal·mol^-1 and ΔS^⧧ = -12.4 ± 6 cal·mol^-1·K^-1 for 1^Cy. Addition of O₂, CO₂, N₂O, or PPh₃ to sealed tube NMR experiments did not alter in a detectable way the rate or product distribution of the reactions. Computational DFT studies of elimination of hyponitrite from trans-Me₃Sn-O-N═N-O-SnMe₃ (1^Me) yield a mechanism involving initial migration of the R₃Sn group from O to N passing through a marginally stable intermediate product and subsequent N₂O elimination. Reactions of 1^Ph with protic acids HX are rapid and lead to formation of R₃SnX and trans-H₂N₂O₂. Reaction of 1^Ph with the metal radical •Cr(CO)₃C₅Me₅ at low concentrations results in rapid evolution of N₂O. At higher •Cr(CO)₃C₅Me₅ concentrations, evolution of CO₂ rather than N₂O is observed. Addition of 1 atm or less CO₂ to benzene or toluene solutions of 2^Ph and 2^Cy resulted in very rapid reaction to form the corresponding carbonates R₃Sn-O-C(═O)-O-SnR₃ (R = Ph (3^Ph) and R = Cy (3^Cy)) at room temperature. Evacuation results in fast loss of bound CO₂ and regeneration of 2^Ph and 2^Cy. Variable temperature data for formation of 3^Cy yield ΔH^o = -8.7 ± 0.6 kcal·mol^-1, ΔS^o = -17.1 ± 2.0 cal·mol^-1·K^-1, and ΔG^o_298K = -3.6 ± 1.2 kcal·mol^-1. DFT studies were performed and provide additional insight into the energetics and mechanisms for the reactions.

Direct NO Reduction by a Biomimetic Iron(II) Pyrazolate MOF

A novel metal-organic framework (MOF) containing one-dimensional, Fe²⁺ chains bridged by dipyrazolate linkers and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) ligands has been synthesized. The unusual chain-type metal nodes feature accessible coordination sites on adjacent metal centers, resulting in motifs that are reminiscent of the active sites in non-heme diiron enzymes. The MOF facilitates direct reduction of nitric oxide (NO), producing nearly quantitative yields of nitrous oxide (N₂ O) and emulating the reactivity of flavodiiron nitric oxide reductases (FNORs). The ferrous form of the MOF can be regenerated via a synthetic cycle involving reduction with cobaltocene (CoCp₂ ) followed by reaction with trimethylsilyl triflate (TMSOTf).

The importance of exact exchange-A methodological investigation of NO reduction in heme-copper oxidases

Significant improvements of the density functional theory (DFT) methodology during the past few decades have made DFT calculations a powerful tool in studies of enzymatic reaction mechanisms. For metalloenzymes, however, there are still concerns about the reliability in the DFT-results. Therefore, a systematic study is performed where the fraction of exact exchange in a hybrid DFT functional is used as a parameter. By varying this parameter, a set of different but related functionals are obtained. The various functionals are applied to one of the reactions occurring in the enzyme family heme-copper oxidases, the reduction of nitric oxide (NO) to nitrous oxide (N₂O) and water. The results show that, even though certain parts of the calculated energetics exhibit large variations, the qualitative pictures of the reaction mechanisms are quite stable. Furthermore, it is found that the functional with 15% exact exchange (B3LYP^*) gives the best agreement with experimental data for the particular reactions studied. An important aspect of the procedure used is that the computational results are carefully combined with a few more general experimental data to obtain a complete description of the entire catalytic cycle of the reactions studied.

A Monohydrosulfidodinitrosyldiiron Complex That Generates N2O as a Model for Flavodiiron Nitric Oxide Reductases: Reaction Mechanism and Electronic Structure

Flavodiiron nitric oxide reductases (FNORs) protect microbes from nitrosative stress under anaerobic conditions by mediating the reduction of nitric oxide (NO) to nitrous oxide (N₂O). The proposed mechanism for the catalytic reduction of NO by FNORs involves a dinitrosyldiiron intermediate with a [hs-{FeNO}⁷]₂ formulation, which produces N₂O and a diferric species. Moreover, both NO and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) have been implicated in several similar physiological functions in biology and are also known to cross paths in cell signaling. Here we report the synthesis, spectroscopic and theoretical characterization, and N₂O production activity of an unprecedented monohydrosulfidodinitrosyldiiron compound, with a [(HS)hs-{FeNO}⁷/hs-{FeNO}⁷] formulation, that models the key dinitrosyl intermediate of FNORs. The generation of N₂O from this unique compound follows a semireduced pathway, where one-electron reduction generates a reactive hs-{FeNO}⁸ center via the occupation of an Fe-NO antibonding orbital. In contrast to the well-known reactivity of H₂S and NO, the coordinated hydrosulfide remains unreactive toward NO and acts only as a spectator ligand during the NO reduction process.

Activation of O2 and NO in heme-copper oxidases - mechanistic insights from computational modelling

Heme-copper oxidases are transmembrane enzymes involved in aerobic and anaerobic respiration. The largest subgroup contains the cytochrome c oxidases (CcO), which reduce molecular oxygen to water. A significant part of the free energy released in this exergonic process is conserved as an electrochemical gradient across the membrane, via two processes, electrogenic chemistry and proton pumping. A deviant subgroup is the cytochrome c dependent NO reductases (cNOR), which reduce nitric oxide to nitrous oxide and water. This is also an exergonic reaction, but in this case none of the released free energy is conserved. Computational studies applying hybrid density functional theory to cluster models of the bimetallic active sites in the heme-copper oxidases are reviewed. To obtain a reliable description of the reaction mechanisms, energy profiles of the entire catalytic cycles, including the reduction steps have to be constructed. This requires a careful combination of computational results with certain experimental data. Computational studies have elucidated mechanistic details of the chemical parts of the reactions, involving cleavage and formation of covalent bonds, which have not been obtainable from pure experimental investigations. Important insights regarding the mechanisms of energy conservation have also been gained. The computational studies show that the reduction potentials of the active site cofactors in the CcOs are large enough to afford electrogenic chemistry and proton pumping, i.e. efficient energy conservation. These results solve a conflict between different types of experimental data. A mechanism for the proton pumping, involving a specific and crucial role for the active site tyrosine, conserved in all CcOs, is suggested. For the cNORs, the calculations show that the low reduction potentials of the active site cofactors are optimized for fast elimination of the toxic NO molecules. At the same time, the low reduction potentials lead to endergonic reduction steps with high barriers. To prevent even higher barriers, which would lead to a too slow reaction, when the electrochemical gradient across the membrane is present, the chemistry must occur in a non-electrogenic manner. This explains why there is no energy conservation in cNOR.

Tuning metal-metal interactions for cooperative small molecule activation

Cluster complexes have attracted interest for decades due to their promise of drawing analogies to metallic surfaces and metalloenzyme active sites, but only recently have chemists started to develop ligand scaffolds that are specifically designed to support multinuclear transition metal cores. Such ligands not only hold multiple metal centers in close proximity but also allow for fine-tuning of their electronic structures and surrounding steric environments. This Feature Article highlights ligand designs that allow for cooperative small molecule activation at cluster complexes, with a particular focus on complexes that contain metal-metal bonds. Two useful ligand-design elements have emerged from this work: a degree of geometric flexibility, which allows for novel small molecule activation modes, and the use of redox-active ligands to provide electronic flexibility to the cluster core. The authors have incorporated these factors into a unique class of dinucleating macrocycles (nPDI2). Redox-active fragments in nPDI2 mimic the weak-overlap covalent bonding that is characteristic of M-M interactions, and aliphatic linkers in the ligand backbone provide geometric flexibility, allowing for interconversion between a range of geometries as the dinuclear core responds to the requirements of various small molecule substrates. The union of these design elements appears to be a powerful combination for analogizing critical aspects of heterogeneous and metalloenzyme catalysts.

Molecular understanding of heteronuclear active sites in heme-copper oxidases, nitric oxide reductases, and sulfite reductases through biomimetic modelling

Heme-copper oxidases (HCO), nitric oxide reductases (NOR), and sulfite reductases (SiR) catalyze the multi-electron and multi-proton reductions of O2, NO, and SO32-, respectively. Each of these reactions is important to drive cellular energy production through respiratory metabolism and HCO, NOR, and SiR evolved to contain heteronuclear active sites containing heme/copper, heme/nonheme iron, and heme-[4Fe-4S] centers, respectively. The complexity of the structures and reactions of these native enzymes, along with their large sizes and/or membrane associations, make it challenging to fully understand the crucial structural features responsible for the catalytic properties of these active sites. In this review, we summarize progress that has been made to better understand these heteronuclear metalloenzymes at the molecular level though study of the native enzymes along with insights gained from biomimetic models comprising either small molecules or proteins. Further understanding the reaction selectivity of these enzymes is discussed through comparisons of their similar heteronuclear active sites, and we offer outlook for further investigations.

Exploring the Limits of Dative Boratrane Bonding: Iron as a Strong Lewis Base in Low-Valent Non-Heme Iron-Nitrosyl Complexes

We previously reported the synthesis and preliminary characterization of a unique series of low-spin (ls) {FeNO}8-10 complexes supported by an ambiphilic trisphosphineborane ligand, [Fe(TPB)(NO)]+/0/-. Herein, we use advanced spectroscopic techniques and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to extract detailed information as to how the bonding changes across the redox series. We find that, in spite of the highly reduced nature of these complexes, they feature an NO+ ligand throughout with strong Fe-NO π-backbonding and essentially closed-shell electronic structures of their FeNO units. This is enabled by an Fe-B interaction that is present throughout the series. In particular, the most reduced [Fe(TPB)(NO)]- complex, an example of a ls-{FeNO}10 species, features a true reverse dative Fe → B bond where the Fe center acts as a strong Lewis-base. Hence, this complex is in fact electronically similar to the ls-{FeNO}8 system, with two additional electrons "stored" on site in an Fe-B single bond. The outlier in this series is the ls-{FeNO}9 complex, due to spin polarization (quantified by pulse EPR spectroscopy), which weakens the Fe-NO bond. These data are further contextualized by comparison with a related N2 complex, [Fe(TPB)(N2)]-, which is a key intermediate in Fe(TPB)-catalyzed N2 fixation. Our present study finds that the Fe → B interaction is key for storing the electrons needed to achieve a highly reduced state in these systems, and highlights the pitfalls associated with using geometric parameters to try to evaluate reverse dative interactions, a finding with broader implications to the study of transition metal complexes with boratrane and related ligands.

Biological and Bioinspired Inorganic N-N Bond-Forming Reactions

The metallobiochemistry underlying the formation of the inorganic N-N-bond-containing molecules nitrous oxide (N2O), dinitrogen (N2), and hydrazine (N2H4) is essential to the lifestyles of diverse organisms. Similar reactions hold promise as means to use N-based fuels as alternative carbon-free energy sources. This review discusses research efforts to understand the mechanisms underlying biological N-N bond formation in primary metabolism and how the associated reactions are tied to energy transduction and organismal survival. These efforts comprise studies of both natural and engineered metalloenzymes as well as synthetic model complexes.

The Fe2 (NO)2 Diamond Core: A Unique Structural Motif In Non-Heme Iron-NO Chemistry

Non-heme high-spin (hs) {FeNO}⁸ complexes have been proposed as important intermediates towards N₂ O formation in flavodiiron NO reductases (FNORs). Many hs-{FeNO}⁸ complexes disproportionate by forming dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs), but the mechanism of this reaction is not understood. While investigating this process, we isolated a new type of non-heme iron nitrosyl complex that is stabilized by an unexpected spin-state change. Upon reduction of the hs-{FeNO}⁷ complex, [Fe(TPA)(NO)(OTf)](OTf) (1), the N-O stretching band vanishes, but no sign of DNIC or N₂ O formation is observed. Instead, the dimer, [Fe₂ (TPA)₂ (NO)₂ ](OTf)₂ (2) could be isolated and structurally characterized. We propose that 2 is formed from dimerization of the hs-{FeNO}⁸ intermediate, followed by a spin state change of the iron centers to low-spin (ls), and speculate that 2 models intermediates in hs-{FeNO}⁸ complexes that precede the disproportionation reaction.

Copper(I) Complex Mediated Nitric Oxide Reductive Coupling: Ligand Hydrogen Bonding Derived Proton Transfer Promotes N2O(g) Release

A cuprous chelate bearing a secondary sphere hydrogen bonding functionality, [(PV-tmpa)Cu^I]⁺, transforms ^•NO_(g) to N₂O_(g) in high-yields in methanol. Ligand derived proton transfer facilitates N-O bond cleavage of a putative hyponitrite intermediate releasing N₂O_(g), underscoring the crucial balance between H-bonding capabilities and acidities in (bio)chemical ^•NO_(g) coupling systems.

Mononuclear, Nonheme, High-Spin {FeNO}7/8 Complexes Supported by a Sterically Encumbered N4S-Thioether Ligand

The synthesis of a new nonheme iron NO binding complex, [Fe^II(CH₃CN)(N3Py^2PhSEtCN)](BF₄)₂ (1), is reported. Complex 1, which contains two sterically encumbering phenyl substituents, exhibits a high-spin (hs) Fe^II (S = 2) ground state in contrast to the S = 0 ground state for unsubstituted [Fe^II(CH₃CN)(N3PySEtCN)(BF₄)₂. Reaction of 1 with NO_(g) in CH₃CN yields an {FeNO}⁷ (S = ³/₂) complex 2, which slowly decays at 25 °C with loss of NO^• to regenerate 1. One-electron reduction of 2 with Cr(C₆H₆)₂ at -40 °C yields the metastable, S = 1 {FeNO}⁸ complex 3. The nitrosyl moieties in thioether-ligated 2 and 3 are significantly less activated than in thiolate-ligated [Fe(NO)(N3PyS)]^+/0, a structurally analogous pair of hs {FeNO}^7/8 complexes. Calculations reveal that reduction of 2 is iron-centered, which may be a general property of hs {FeNO}^7/8 complexes.

Spectroscopy and DFT Calculations of Flavo-Diiron Nitric Oxide Reductase Identify Bridging Structures of NO-Coordinated Diiron Intermediates

Flavo-diiron proteins (FDPs) are widespread in anaerobic bacteria, archaea, and protozoa, where they serve as the terminal components of dioxygen and nitric oxide reductive scavenging pathways. FDPs contain an N,O-ligated diiron site adjacent to a flavin mononucleotide (FMN) cofactor. The diiron site is structurally similar to those in hemerythrin, ribonucleotide reductase, and methane monooxygenase. However, only FDPs turn over NO to N2O at significant rates and yields. Previous studies revealed sequential binding of two NO molecules to the diferrous site, forming mono- and dinitrosyl intermediates leading to N2O formation. In the present work, these mono- and dinitrosyl intermediates have been characterized by EPR and Mössbauer spectroscopies and DFT calculations. Our results show that the iron proximal to the cofactor binds the first NO to form the diiron mononitrosyl complex, implying the iron distal to the FMN binds the second NO to form the diiron dinitrosyl intermediate. The exchange-coupling constants, J (H = JS1·S2), were found to differ substantially, +17 cm-1 for the diiron mononitrosyl and +60 cm-1 for the diiron dinitrosyl. Notwithstanding this large difference, our findings indicate retention of at least one hydroxo bridge throughout the NOR catalytic cycle. The Mossbauer hyperfine parameters and DFT calculations confirmed a semibridging NO- ligand in the mononitrosyl intermediate that lowers the exchange parameter. The DFT calculations on the dinitrosyl intermediate suggest a contribution to J from direct exchange between the S = 1 spins on the NO- ligands, which could initiate N-N bond formation. Our results provide insight into why FDPs are the only known nonheme diiron enzymes that competently turn over NO to N2O.

A Structural Model for the Iron-Nitrosyl Adduct of Gentisate Dioxygenase

We present the synthesis, properties, and characterization of [Fe(T1Et4iPrIP)(NO)(H₂O)₂](OTf)₂ (1) (T1Et4iPrIP = Tris(1-ethyl-4-isopropyl-imidazolyl)phosphine) as a model for the nitrosyl adduct of gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (GDO). The further characterization of [Fe(T1Et4iPrIP)(THF)(NO)(OTf)](OTf) (2) which was previously communicated (Inorg. Chem. 2014, 53, 5414) is also presented. The weighted average Fe-N-O angle of 162° for 1 is very close to linear (≥ 165°) for these types of complexes. The coordinated water ligands participate in hydrogen bonding interactions. The spectral properties (EPR, UV-vis, FTIR) for 1 are compared with 2 and found to be quite comparable. Complex 1 closely follows the relationship between the Fe-N-O angle and NO vibrational frequency which was previously identified for 6-coordinate {FeNO}⁷ complexes. Liquid FTIR studies on 2 indicate that the ν(NO) vibration position is sensitive to solvent shifting to lower energy (relative to the solid) in donor solvent THF and shifting to higher energy in dichloromethane. The basis for this behavior is discussed. The K _eq for NO binding in 2 was calculated in THF and found to be 470 M^-1. Density functional theory (DFT) studies on 1 indicate donation of electron density to the iron center from the π* orbitals of formally NO^-. Such a donation accounts for the near linearity of the Fe-N-O bond and the large ν(NO) value of 1791 cm^-1.