Self-assembly of the 2-His-1-carboxylate facial triad in mononuclear iron(II) and zinc(II) models of metalloenzyme active sites

Heteroleptic Ligation by an endo-Functionalized Cage

A conceptual approach for the synthesis of quasi-heteroleptic complexes with properly endo-functionalized cages as ligands is presented. The cage ligand reported here is of a covalent organic nature, it has been synthesized via a dynamic combinatorial chemistry approach, making use of a masked amine. Inspired by enzymatic active sites, the described system bears one carboxylate and two imidazole moieties as independent ligating units through which it is able to coordinate to transition metals. Analysis of the iron(II) complex in solution and the solid state validates the structure and shows that no undesired but commonly observed dimerization process takes place. The solid-state structure shows a five-coordinate metal center with the carboxylate bidentately bound to iron, which makes Fe@2 an unprecedentedly detailed structural model complex for this kind of non-heme iron oxygenases. As, as confirmed by the crystal structure, sufficient space for other organic ligands is available, the biologically relevant ligand α-ketoglutarate is implemented. We observe biomimetic reaction behavior towards dioxygen that opens studies investigating Fe@2 as a functional model complex.

A new, simple, and efficient strategy for the preparation of active antifungal biodegradable materials via ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide with zinc aryloxides

In this work, zinc aryloxides supported by monodentate hydroxybiphenyls [ArOH: ortho-phenylphenol (o-XenOH), meta-phenylphenol (m-XenOH), or para-phenylphenol (p-XenOH] and N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) were used to develop active polymeric materials for antifungal agents for agricultural use. The direct reaction of ligand precursor ArOH with ZnEt2 (1 : 2) in a toluene/TMEDA mixture (1 : 10) afforded a series of three isostructural monomeric compounds, namely [Zn(o-XenO)2(TMEDA)] (1), [Zn(m-XenO)2(TMEDA)] (2), and [Zn(p-XenO)2(TMEDA)] (3). These were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and spectroscopic and other analytical methods. The results show that 1-3 are effective initiators for the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of l-lactide (l-LA) via bifunctional activation of the monomer with Lewis pairs to give polymers terminated with TMEDA and Zn(OAr)2 as the α- and ω-chain ends, respectively. Combinations of ZnEt2 with two molar equivalents of ArOH proligands were used to synthesize polylactides containing fungicide molecules covalently bonded via ester linkers. The ROP of l-LA initiated by these zinc-based systems could be used for the preparation of polyesters with promising antifungal activities.

Facial triad modelling using ferrous pyridinyl prolinate complexes: synthesis and catalytic applications

A series of new chiral pyridinyl prolinate (RPyProR) ligands and their corresponding Fe(II) triflate and chloride complexes are reported. The ligands possess an NN'O coordination motif, as found in the active site of non-heme iron enzymes with the so-called 2-His-1-carboxylate facial triad. The coordination behaviour of these ligands towards iron turned out to be dependent on the counter ion (chloride or triflate), the crystallization conditions (coordinating or non-coordinating solvents) and the presence of substituents on the ligand. In combination with Fe(II)(OTf)2, coordinatively saturated complexes of the type [Fe(L)2](OTf)2 are formed, in which the ligands adopt a meridional coordination mode. The use of FeCl2 in a non-coordinating solvent leads to 5-coordinated complexes [Fe(L)(Cl)2] with a meridional N,N',O ligand. Crystallization of these complexes from a coordinating solvent leads to 6-coordinated [Fe(L)(solv)(Cl)2] complexes (solv = methanol or acetonitrile), in which the N,N',O ligand is coordinated in a facial manner. For RPyProR ligands bearing a 6-Me substituent on the pyridine ring, solvent coordination and, accordingly, ligand rearrangement are prevented by steric constraints. The complexes were tested as oxidation catalysts in the epoxidation of alkene substrates in acetonitrile with hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant under oxidant limiting conditions. The complexes were shown to be especially active in the epoxidation of styrene type substrates (styrene and trans-beta-methylstyrene). In the best case, complex [Fe(6-Me-PyProNH2)Cl2] (15) allowed for 65% productive consumption of hydrogen peroxide toward epoxide and benzaldehyde products.

Functional models of α-keto acid dependent nonheme iron oxygenases: synthesis and reactivity of biomimetic iron(II) benzoylformate complexes supported by a 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline ligand

Two biomimetic iron(II) benzoylformate complexes, [LFe(II)(BF)(2)] (2) and [LFe(II)(NO(3))(BF)] (3) (L is 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline and BF is monoanionic benzoylformate), have been synthesized from an iron(II)-dichloro complex [LFe(II)Cl(2)] (1). All the iron(II) complexes have been structurally and spectroscopically characterized. The iron(II) center in 2 is coordinated by a bidentate NN ligand (2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) and two monoanionic benzoylformates to form a distorted octahedral coordination geometry. One of the benzoylformates binds to the iron in 2 via both carboxylate oxygens but the other one binds in a chelating bidentate fashion via one carboxylate oxygen and the keto oxygen. On the other hand, the iron(II) center in 3 is ligated by one NN ligand, one bidentate nitrate, and one monoanionic chelating benzoylformate. Both iron(II) benzoylformate complexes exhibit the facial NNO donor environment in their solid-state structures. Complexes 2 and 3 are stable in noncoordinating solvents under an inert atmosphere, but react with dioxygen under ambient conditions to undergo oxidative decarboxylation of benzoylformate to benzoate in high yields. Evidence for the formation of an iron(IV)-oxo intermediate upon oxidative decarboxylation of benzoylformate was obtained by interception and labeling experiments. The iron(II) benzoylformate complexes represent the functional models of α-keto acid dependent oxygenases.

A Mononuclear Carboxylate-Rich Oxoiron(IV) Complex: a Structural and Functional Mimic of TauD Intermediate 'J'

The pentadentate ligand (n)Bu-P2DA (2(b), (n)Bu-P2DA = N-(1',1'-bis(2-pyridyl)pentyl)iminodiacetate) was designed to bind an iron center in a carboxylate-rich environment similar to that found in the active sites of TauD and other α-ketoglutarate-dependent mononuclear non-heme iron enzymes. The iron(II) complex (n)Bu(4)N[Fe(II)(Cl)((n)Bu-P2DA)] (3(b)-Cl) was synthesized and crystallographically characterized to have a 2-pyridine-2-carboxylate donor set in the plane perpendicular to the Fe-Cl bond. Reaction of 3(b)-Cl with N-heterocyclic amines such as pyridine or imidazole yielded the N-heterocyclic amine adducts [Fe(II)(N)((n)Bu-P2DA)]. These adducts in turn reacted with oxo-transfer reagents at -95 °C to afford a short-lived oxoiron(IV) complex [Fe(IV)(O)((n)Bu-P2DA)] (5(b)) in yields as high as 90% depending on the heterocycle used. Complex 5(b) exhibits near-IR absorption features (λ(max) = 770 nm) and Mossbauer parameters (δ = 0.04 mm/s; ΔE(Q) = 1.13 mm/s; D = 27±2 cm(-1)) characteristic of an S = 1 oxoiron(IV) species. Direct evidence for an Fe=O bond of 1.66 Å was found from EXAFS analysis. DFT calculations on 5(b) in its S =1 spin state afforded a geometry-optimized structure consistent with the EXAFS data. They further demonstrated that the replacement of two pyridine donors in [Fe(IV)(O)(N4Py)](2+) (N4Py = N,N-(bis(2-pyridyl)methyl)N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) with carboxylate donors in 5(b) decreased the energy gap between the ground S = 1 and the excited S = 2 states, reflecting the weaker equatorial ligand field of 5(b) and accounting for its larger D value. Complex 5(b) reacted readily with dihydrotoluene, methyldiphenylphosphine and ferrocene at -60 °C, and in all cases was approximately a 5-fold more reactive oxidant than [Fe(IV)(O)(N4Py)](2+). The reactivity differences between these two complexes may arise from a combination of electronic and steric factors. Carboxylate-rich 5(b) represents the closest structural mimic reported thus far of the oxoiron(IV) intermediate ('J') found in TauD and provides us with vital insights into the role carboxylate ligands play in modulating the spectroscopic and reactivity properties of the non-heme oxoiron(IV) moiety.

Iron(II) complexes of sterically bulky alpha-ketocarboxylates. structural models for alpha-ketoacid-dependent nonheme iron halogenases

Reaction of the sterically hindered alpha-ketocarboxylate 2,6-di(mesityl)benzoylformate (MesBF) with the iron(II) complexes LFeCl 2 [L = N, N, N', N'-tetramethylpropylenediamine (Me 4pda) or 6,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine (dmby)] yielded LFe(Cl)(MesBF) ( 1 or 2). X-ray crystal structures of these complexes showed that they closely model the active site structure of the nonheme iron halogenase enzyme SyrB2. A similar synthetic procedure using benzoylformate with L = dmby yielded (dmby)Fe[(O 2CC(O)Ph)] 2 ( 3) instead, demonstrating the need for the sterically hindered alpha-ketocarboxylate to assemble the halogenase model compounds. In order to make reactivity comparisons among the structurally related iron(II) complexes of benzoylformates of varying steric properties, the complexes [LFe(O 2CC(O)Ar)] n ( 4- 6) were prepared, where L' = tris(pyridylmethyl)amine (tpa) and Ar = 2,6-dimesitylphenyl, 2,6-di p-tolylphenyl, or 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, respectively. X-ray structures for the latter two cases ( 5 and 6) revealed dinuclear topologies ( n = 2), but UV-vis and (1)H NMR spectroscopy indicated that all three complexes dissociated in varying degrees to monomers in CH 2Cl 2 solution. Although compounds 1- 6 were oxidized by O 2, oxidative decarboxylation of the alpha-ketocarboxylate ligand(s) only occurred for 3. These results indicate that the steric hindrance useful for structural modeling of the halogenase active site prohibits functional mimicry of the enzyme.

Zinc complexes of the biomimetic N,N,O ligand family of substituted 3,3-bis(1-alkylimidazol-2-yl)propionates: the formation of oxalate from pyruvate

The coordination chemistry of the 2-His-1-carboxylate facial triad mimics 3,3-bis(1-methylimidazol-2-yl)propionate (MIm(2)Pr) and 3,3-bis(1-ethyl-4-isopropylimidazol-2-yl) propionate (iPrEtIm(2)Pr) towards ZnCl(2) was studied both in solution and in the solid state. Different coordination modes were found depending both on the stoichiometry and on the ligand that was employed. In the 2:1 ligand-to-metal complex [Zn(MIm(2)Pr)(2)], the ligand coordinates in a tridentate, tripodal N,N,O fashion similar to the 2-His-1-carboxylate facial triad. However, the 1:1 ligand-to-metal complexes [Zn(MIm(2)Pr)Cl(H(2)O)] and [Zn(iPrEtIm(2)Pr)Cl] were crystallographically characterized and found to be polymeric in nature. A new, bridging coordination mode of the ligands was observed in both structures comprising N,N-bidentate coordination of the ligand to one zinc atom and O-monodentate coordination to a zinc second atom. A rather unique transformation of pyruvate into oxalate was found with [Zn(MIm(2)Pr)Cl], which resulted in the isolation of the new, oxalato bridged zinc coordination polymer [Zn(2)(MIm(2)Pr)(2)(ox)].6H(2)O, the structure of which was established by X-ray crystal structure determination.