Catalytic Hydrolysis of Phosphate Diesters by Lanthanide(III) Cryptate (2.2.1) Complexes

Nucleic Acid and Phosphoester Hydrolytic Cleavage Catalysed by Aza-Crown Ether Metal Complexes as Synthetic Nucleases

Aza-crown ethers are ligands in which the oxygen atoms are replaced by nitrogen atoms in the crown ether ring systems. This type of ligand possesses specific complexation with metal ions, such as those of transition-metals, rare earths, alkali metals and alkaline earths, which form metal complexes whose structures are similar to those of some biological enzymes. In recent decades, research on aza-crown ethers and their metal complexes as mimics of nucleases in hydrolysing nucleic acids has attracted increasing attention. These studies illuminate the mechanism of nucleic acid hydrolytic cleavage as catalysed by natural nucleases. In order to assist the design and synthesis of highly active, selective and stable mimic nucleases, this paper reviews recent progress in the investigation of aza-crown ether metal complexes as mimic nucleases, including: the relationship between the structures and activities of synthetic metallonucleases; multicentre synergistic catalysis of metal ions in multinuclear complexes; bifunctional cooperative catalysis of the branches and ions in the complexes; and especially, the structural characteristic and catalytic mechanism of aza-crown ether metal complexes as mimic nucleases.

Poly[[μ-bis-(4-nitro-phen-yl) phosphato-κ(2) O,O']sodium]

The title compound, [Na(C₁₂H₈N₂O₈P)], consists of one Na⁺ cation and one bis­(p-nitro­phen­yl)phosphate anion with a considerable distortion of the phosphate tetra­hedron due to the presence of two P—O ester bonds. The anion bridges five Na⁺ cations whereby each cation is chelated by the nitro O atoms of one anion and bonded via a nitro O atom and phosphate O atoms to four other anions. This bridging arrangement leads to the formation of double layers parallel to (001). Adjacent layers are linked through weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

Cluster-Type Basic Lanthanide Iodides [M6(μ6-O)(μ3-OH)8(H2O)24]I8(H2O)8 (M = Nd, Eu, Tb, Dy)

Ln6(mu6-O)(mu3-OH)8(H2O)24]I8(H2O)(8) (Ln = Nd, Eu, Tb, Dy) compounds are obtained as the final hydrolysis products of lanthanide triiodides in an aqueous solution. Their X-ray crystal structure features a body-centered arrangement of oxygen-centered {Ln6X8}8+ cluster cores: [Nd6(mu6-O)(mu3-OH)8(H2O)24]I8(H2O)8 [Pearson code oP156, orthorhombic, Pnnm (No. 58), Z = 2, a = 1310.4(3) pm, b = 1502.1(3) pm, c = 1514.9(3) pm, 3384 reflections with I0 > 2sigma(I0), R1 = 0.0340, wR2 = 0.0764, GOF = 1.022, T = 298(2) K], [Eu6(mu6-O)(mu3-OH)8(H2O)24]I8(H2O)8 [Pearson code oP156, orthorhombic, Pnnm (No. 58), Z = 2, a = 1306.6(2) pm, b = 1498.15(19) pm, c = 1499.41(18) pm, 4262 reflections with I0 > 2sigma(I0), R1 = 0.0540, wR2 = 0.0860, GOF = 0.910, T = 298(2) K], [Tb6(mu6-O)(mu3-OH)8(H2O)24]I8(H2O)8 [Pearson code oP156, orthorhombic, Pnnm (No. 58), Z = 2, a = 1296.34(5) pm, b = 1486.13(7) pm, c = 1491.88(6) pm, 4182 reflections with I0 > 2sigma(I0), R1 = 0.0395, wR2 = 0.0924, GOF = 1.000, T = 298(2) K], and [Dy6(mu6-O)(mu3-OH)8(H2O)24]I8(H2O)8 [Pearson code oP156, orthorhombic, Pnnm (No. 58), Z = 2, a = 1296.34(5) pm, b = 1486.13(7) pm, c = 1491.88(6) pm, 3329 reflections with I0 > 2sigma(I0), R1 = 0.0389, wR2 = 0.0801, GOF = 0.992, T = 298(2) K.

Highly efficient phosphodiester hydrolysis promoted by a dinuclear copper(II) complex

The interaction of Cu(II) with the ligand tdci (1,3,5-trideoxy-1,3,5-tris(dimethylamino)-cis-inositol) was studied both in the solid state and in solution. The complexes that were formed were also tested for phosphoesterase activity. The pentanuclear complex [Cu(5)(tdciH(-2))(tdci)(2)(OH)(2)(NO(3))(2)](NO(3))(4).6H(2)O consists of two dinuclear units and one trinuclear unit, having two shared copper(II) ions. The metal centers within the pentanuclear structure have three distinct coordination environments. All five copper(II) ions are linked by hydroxo/alkoxo bridges forming a Cu(5)O(6) cage. The Cu-Cu separations of the bridged centers are between 2.916 and 3.782 A, while those of the nonbridged metal ions are 5.455-5.712 A. The solution equilibria in the Cu(II)-tdci system proved to be extremely complicated. Depending on the pH and metal-to-ligand ratio, several differently deprotonated mono-, di-, and trinuclear complexes are formed. Their presence in solution was supported by mass, CW, and pulse EPR spectroscopic study, too. In these complexes, the metal ions are presumed to occupy tridentate [O(ax),N(eq),O(ax)] coordination sites and the O-donors of tdci may serve as bridging units between two metal ions. Additionally, deprotonation of the metal-bound water molecules may occur. The dinuclear Cu(2)LH(-3) species, formed around pH 8.5, provides outstanding rate acceleration for the hydrolysis of the activated phosphodiester bis(4-nitrophenyl)phosphate (BNPP). The second-order rate constant of BNPP hydrolysis promoted by the dinuclear complex (T = 298 K) is 0.95 M(-1) s(-1), which is ca. 47600-fold higher than that of the hydroxide ion catalyzed hydrolysis (k(OH)). Its activity is selective for the phosphodiester, and the hydrolysis was proved to be catalytic. The proposed bifunctional mechanism of the hydrolysis includes double Lewis acid activation and intramolecular nucleophilic catalysis.

Phosphate diester hydrolysis by mono- and dinuclear lanthanum complexes with an unusual third-order dependence

A series of mono- and dinuclear lanthanum complexes of 15,31-dimethyl-3,11,19,27,33,35-hexaazapentacyclo[27.3.1.1.(5,9)1,(13,17). 1(21,25)]hexatriaconta-5,7,9(33),13,15,17(34),21,23,25(35),29,31, 1(36)-dodecaene-34,36-diol (24RBPyBC, L) have been defined in solution. Their ability to hydrolyze bis(4-nitrophenyl) phosphate, a phosphate diester, was studied. The various metal-coordinated hydroxide nucleophiles that form in solution attack the substrate in the hydrolysis reaction. The dihydroxo dilanthanum complex, L-2La-2(OH), is the most effective catalyst. Its rate constant is 75 times larger than the rate constant for the monohydroxo dilanthanum complex, L-2La-OH. The mononuclear complexes are not as successful as the dinuclear complexes because they have fewer metal ions per complex to act as Lewis acids. They also cannot generate hydroxide nucleophiles at low pH values like the dinuclear complexes can. The reaction has an unusual third-order dependence on the catalyst concentration which is valid for the dinuclear complexes as well as the mononuclear complexes. This implies a mechanism where a metal-coordinated hydroxide nucleophile attacks the phosphorus of the substrate on the side opposite the negatively charged oxygens.