Models for Verdoheme Hydrolysis. Paramagnetic Products from the Ring Opening of Verdohemes, 5-Oxaporphyrin Complexes of Iron(II), with Methoxide Ion

Oxidation of 5,15-Dioxaporphyrin: Its Generality and Novelty as an Oxaporphyrin Analogue

5,15-Dioxaporphyrin (DOP) is a novel meso-oxaporphyrin analogue and exhibits unique 20π-antiaromaticity, unlike its mother congener of 18π-aromatic 5-oxaporphyrin, commonly known as its cationic iron complex called verdohem, which is a key intermediate of heme catabolism. To reveal its reactivities and properties as an oxaporphyrin analogue, the oxidation of tetra-β-arylated DOP (DOP-Ar4 ) was explored in this study. Stepwise oxidation from the 20π-electron neutral state was achieved, and the corresponding 19π-electron radical cation and 18π-electron dication were characterized. Further oxidation of the 18π-aromatic dication resulted in the formation of a ring-opened dipyrrindione product by hydrolysis. Considering a similar reaction of verdoheme to ring-opened biliverdin in the heme degradation in nature, the current result consolidates the ring-opening reactivity of oxaporphyrinium cation species.

meso-Diketopyripentaphyrin and Diketopyrihexaphyrin as Macrocyclic Tripyrrinone Ligands for NiII Ions

We report expanded porphyrins with pyridine rings and two neighboring carbonyl groups, which allow Ni^II ions to coordinate to the tripyrrinone-type NNNO coordination structure with Ni-O bonds. The selectivity of tripyrrinone is superior to other pyrrolic or pyridinic cavities of expanded porphyrins. Introduction of α-carbonyl pyridine next to the tripyrrolic conjugated structure is a powerful strategy for regioselective metalation of flexible expanded porphyrinoids.

Density functional theory studies on the conversion of hydroxyheme to iron-verdoheme in the presence of dioxygen

Detailed insight into the second step of heme degradation by heme oxygenase, oxophlorin to verdoheme and biliverdin, is presented. Density functional theory methods are reported for the conversion of oxophlorin to verdoheme. Since it is currently unclear whether dioxygen binding to iron oxophlorin is followed by a reduction or not, in this work we have focused on the difference in reactivity between [(Im)(O₂˙)Fe^III(PO˙)] (PO˙ is the oxophlorin dianion radical) and [(Im)(O₂˙)Fe^III(PO)]^- (PO is the oxophlorin trianion). Thus, we have shown that in [(Im)(O₂˙)Fe^III(PO˙)] and [(Im)(O₂˙)Fe^III(PO)]^-, the mechanisms are stepwise with an initial C-O bond activation to form a ring-structure where the oxophlorin is distorted from planarity. This is followed by homolytic dioxygen bond breaking that directly leads to iron-oxo verdoheme products. The [(Im)(O₂˙)Fe^III(PO˙)] mechanism proceeds via two-state-reactivity patterns on the adjacent doublet and quartet spin state surfaces, whereas the [(Im)(O₂˙)Fe^III(PO)]^- route shows single-state-reactivity on a triplet spin state surface. In both, the rate determining step is the C-O bond activation, with substantially lower barriers on the [(Im)(O₂˙)Fe^III(PO˙)] surface of 12.15 kcal mol^-1 in the gas phase compared to 22.55 kcal mol^-1 for the intermediate-spin of [(Im)(O₂˙)Fe^III(PO)]^-. The complete active space self-consistent-field wave functions with second-order multi-reference perturbation theory were also studied. Finally, the effects of the solvent and the medium on the reaction barriers were tested and shown to be considerable.

Oxidative ring-openings of octaethyl-2-oxochlorin: Regioisomeric β-oxobiliverdins

We describe the oxidative ring opening of octaethyl-2-oxochlorin using two different oxidation methods, both providing a mixture of all possible regioisomeric products (8-[Formula: see text] through 8-[Formula: see text]. While isomers 8-[Formula: see text], 8-[Formula: see text], and 8-[Formula: see text] formed in isolable yields and relative ratios that varied with the oxidation method used, isomer 8-[Formula: see text] was invariably formed in trace amounts only. The three major products were spectroscopically characterized (IR, MS, 1D- and 2D NMR spectroscopy) and their configurations were deduced by NMR spectroscopy. The spectroscopic findings correlated well with the single crystal X-ray structure of the novel cleavage product 8-[Formula: see text] and the known compound of 8-[Formula: see text]. The work broadens the number of octaethylporphyrin-derived biliverdin derivatives available and presents a methodology of controlling the biliverdin backbone configuration by introduction of a [Formula: see text]-ketone functionality into select positions.

Nucleophilic ring-opening of iron(III)-hydroxy-isoporphyrin

The reactions of iron(III) hydroxyisoporphyrin, chloro[5-(hydroxy)-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-methyl)-5,21H-porphinato]iron(III) [Fe(4-Me-HTPI)(Cl)](-), 1 and chloro[5-(hydroxy)-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-methoxy-5,21H-porphinato]iron(III) [Fe(4-OMe-HTPI)(Cl)](-), 2 with different O(-), N(-) and S(-) nucleophiles have been performed to understand the reactivity of iron isoporphyrins with nucleophiles. The treatment of iron(III) hydroxy isoporphyrin with alcohols is found to form ring opened 19-benzoyl-1-alkoxy-bilin iron complexes. When alkyl amines were used the formation of ring opened 19-benzoyl-1-alkylamine-bilin iron complexes was observed, but heterocyclic N-nucleophiles such as pyridine and imidazole form benzoyl bilinone iron complexes. No role of oxygen was found in these nucleophilic ring opening reactions. The treatment of a S-nucleophile such as PhSH is found to reduce iron(III)-hydroxyisoporphyrin in the parent iron(III) porphyrin compound. The ring opening products were characterized using electronic and ESI-mass spectroscopy. The mechanism for the formation of ring opening products is based on the formation of a tetrahedral intermediate at the carbon atom near the saturated meso carbon atom similar to the hydrolytic pathway of verdoheme conversion to biliverdin.

Nucleophilic ring opening of meso-substituted 5-oxaporphyrin by oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and carbon nucleophiles

Nucleophilic ring opening of 23H-[21,23-didehydro-10,15,20-tris(4-methoxycarbonylphenyl)-5-oxaporphyrinato](trifluoroacetato)zinc(II) with various nucleophiles such as alkoxide, amine, thiolate, and enolate gave 19-substituted bilinone zinc complexes, and they were isolated as free base bilinones. An X-ray crystallographic study demonstrated that the product of 5-oxaporphyrin with sodium methoxide was 21H,23H-(4Z,9Z,15Z)-1,21-dihydro-19-methoxy-5,10,15-tris(4-methoxycarbonylphenyl)bilin-1-one with a helicoidal conformation. The structure of the product of 5-oxaporphyrin with an enolate of ethyl acetoacetate was 21H,22H,24H-(4Z,9Z,15Z,19E)-19-(1-ethoxycarbonyl-2-oxopropylidene)-5,10,15-tris(4-methoxycarbonylphenyl)-1,19,21,24-tetrahydrobilin-1-one, with three inner NH groups. The product with SH(-) was also the same tautomer, 21H,22H,24H-19-thioxo-bilin-1-one, with three NH groups, while the products with RO(-), RNH2, and RS(-) nucleophiles were 21H,23H-bilin-1-ones with two inner NH groups. The first-order rate constants of the ring opening reaction of 5-oxaporphyrin with 1 M BnOH and BnSH in toluene at 303 K were 3.0 × 10(-4) and 6.1 × 10(-4) s(-1), respectively. The ratio of the rate of alcohol to thiol was much higher than that with methyl iodide, suggesting that 5-oxaporphyrin reacted as a hard electrophile in comparison to methyl iodide. UV-visible spectra of 19-substituted bilinones in CHCl3 at 298 K showed that the absorption maximum of the lower energy band was red-shifted in increasing order of O-substituted (645 nm), S-substituted (668 nm), N-substituted (699 nm), and C-substituted bilinones (706 nm).

A selective stepwise heme oxygenase model system: an iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin π-cation radical leads to a verdoheme-type compound via an isoporphyrin intermediate

The selective oxidation of the α-position of two heme-Fe(III) tetraarylporphryinate complexes occurs when water(hydroxide) attacks their oxidized Cmpd I-type equivalents, high-valent Fe(IV)═O π-cation radical species ((P(+•))Fe(IV)═O). Stepwise intermediate formation occurs, as detected by UV-vis spectroscopic monitoring or mass spectrometric interrogation, being iron(III) isoporphyrins, iron(III) benzoyl-biliverdins, and the final verdoheme-like products. Heme oxygenase (HO) enzymes could proceed through heterolytic cleavage of an iron(III)-hydroperoxo intermediate to form a transient Cmpd I-type species.

Pseudohalogenido complexes of iron-2,2′-bidipyrrins

The chlorido iron(III) complex of octaethyl-2,2′-bidipyrrin has been transformed to a series of pseudohalide complexes by ligand exchange reactions with azide, cyanate, thiocyanate and selenocyanate anions. All new complexes show the expected N-coordination of the axial ligand to the iron(III) center. In the solid state, all four species display an intermediate spin (S = 3/2) ground state, with a gradual increase of a high spin (S = 5/2) contribution at elevated temperatures for the members with the smallest ligand field strengths, i.e. the cyanato and the azido derivatives. In solution, proton NMR, and in particular IR spectroscopic studies support the interpretation of a high-spin state at ambient temperature throughout the series. The dependency of the spin state on the crystalline or dissolved state thus resembles that found for a similar series of halide derivatives before. In dichloromethane solution, the thiocyanato and selenocyanato complexes are very sensitive to aerial oxidation, forming oxacorrole and thiacorrole complexes as the only isolated products. These complexes show a S = 3/2 spin state in the solid as well as in solution, and their structural analyses prove the expected strong π-binding of the linear pseudohalide ion to the iron(III) central metal.

Linear tetrapyrroles as functional pigments in chemistry and biology

1,19,21,24-tetrahydro-1,19-bilindione is the framework of pigments frequently found in nature, which includes biliverdin IX α, phytochromobilin and phycocyanobilin. 1,19-bilindiones have unique features such as (1) photochemical and thermal cis-trans isomerization, (2) excited energy transfer, (3) chiroptical properties due to the cyclic helical conformation, (4) redox activity, (5) coordination to various metals, and (6) reconstitution to proteins. 1,19-bilindione can adopt a number of conformations since it has exocyclic three double bonds and three single bonds that are rotatable thermally and photochemically. In solution, biliverdin and phycocyanobilin adopt a cyclic helical ZZZ, syn, syn, syn conformation, but other conformations are stabilized depending on the experimental conditions and substituents on the bilin framework. The conformational changes in 1,19-bilindiones are related to the biological functions of a photoreceptor protein, phytochrome. Structural and conformational studies of bilindiones are summarized both in solution and in protein. The conformational changes of bilins can be used for other functions such as a chirality sensor. The bilindiones and the zinc complexes of bilindiones can be employed as a chirality sensor due to the helically chiral structure and the dynamics of racemization of enantiomers. In this paper, we discuss the conformational equilibria and dynamics of bilindiones and its implications in photobiology and materials science.

Heme oxygenase reveals its strategy for catalyzing three successive oxygenation reactions

Heme oxygenase (HO) is an enzyme that catalyzes the regiospecific conversion of heme to biliverdin IXalpha, CO, and free iron. In mammals, HO has a variety of physiological functions, including heme catabolism, iron homeostasis, antioxidant defense, cellular signaling, and O(2) sensing. The enzyme is also found in plants (producing light-harvesting pigments) and in some pathogenic bacteria, where it acquires iron from the host heme. The HO-catalyzed heme conversion proceeds through three successive oxygenations, a process that has attracted considerable attention because of its reaction mechanism and physiological importance. The HO reaction is unique in that all three O(2) activations are affected by the substrate itself. The first step is the regiospecific self-hydroxylation of the porphyrin alpha-meso carbon atom. The resulting alpha-meso-hydroxyheme reacts in the second step with another O(2) to yield verdoheme and CO. The third O(2) activation, by verdoheme, cleaves its porphyrin macrocycle to release biliverdin and free ferrous iron. In this Account, we provide an overview of our current understanding of the structural and biochemical properties of the complex self-oxidation reactions in HO catalysis. The first meso-hydroxylation is of particular interest because of its distinct contrast with O(2) activation by cytochrome P450. Although most heme enzymes oxidize exogenous substrates by high-valent oxo intermediates, HO was proposed to utilize the Fe-OOH intermediate for the self-hydroxylation. We have succeeded in preparing and characterizing the Fe-OOH species of HO at low temperature, and an analysis of its reaction, together with mutational and crystallographic studies, reveals that protonation of Fe-OOH by a distal water molecule is critical in promoting the unique self-hydroxylation. The second oxygenation is a rapid, spontaneous auto-oxidation of the reactive alpha-meso-hydroxyheme; its mechanism remains elusive, but the HO enzyme has been shown not to play a critical role in it. Until recently, the means of the third O(2) activation had remained unclear as well, but we have recently untangled its mechanistic outline. Reaction analysis of the verdoheme-HO complex strongly suggests the Fe-OOH species as a key intermediate of the ring-opening reaction. This mechanism is very similar to that of the first meso-hydroxylation, including the critical roles of the distal water molecule. A comprehensive study of the three oxygenations of HO highlights the rational design of the enzyme architecture and its catalytic mechanism. Elucidation of the last oxygenation step has enabled a kinetic analysis of the rate-determining step, making it possible to discuss the HO reaction mechanism in relation to its physiological functions.

Theoretical investigations on the hydrolysis pathway of tin verdoheme complexes: elucidation of tin's ring opening inhibition role

In order to obtain a better molecular understanding of inhibitory role of tin metal in the verdoheme ring opening process, hydrolysis of three possibly six, five, and four coordinate verdoheme complexes of tin(IV) and (II) have been studied using DFT method. The results of calculations indicate that, in excellent accord with experimental reports, hydrolysis of different possibly coordinated tin(IV) and (II) verdohemes does not lead to the opening of the macrocycle. Contrary to iron and zinc verdohemes, in five and four coordinate verdoheme complexes of tin(IV) and (II), formation of open ring helical complexes of tin are unfavorable both thermodynamically and kinetically. In these pathways, coordination of hydroxide nucleophile to tin metal due to the highly charged, exclusive oxophilicity nature of the Sn center, and high affinity of Sn to increase coordination state are proposed responsible as inhibiting roles of tin via the ring opening. While, in saturated six coordinate tin(IV) and (II) verdoheme complexes the ring opening of tin verdohemes is possible thermodynamically, but it is not predicted to occur from a kinetics point of view. In the six coordinate pathway, tin plays no coordination role and direct addition of hydroxide nucleophile to the positive oxo-carbon centers and formation of closed ring hydroxy compounds is proposed for preventing the verdoheme ring opening. These key points and findings have been corroborated by the results obtained from atomic charge analysis, geometrical parameters, and molecular orbital calculations. In addition, the results of inhibiting ring opening reaction of tin verdoheme complexes could support the great interest of tin porphyrin analogues as pharmacologic means of chemoprevention of neonatal jaundice by the competitive inhibitory action of tin porphyrins on heme oxygenase.

Theoretical investigations of the hydrolysis pathway of verdoheme to biliverdin

Conversion of iron(II) verdoheme to iron biliverdin in the presence of OH(-) was investigated using B3LYP method. Both 3-21G and 6-31G* basis sets were employed for geometry optimization calculation as well as energy stabilization estimation. Calculation at 6-31G* level was found necessary for a correct spin state estimation of the iron complexes. Two possible pathways for the conversion of iron verdoheme to iron biliverdin were considered. In one path the iron was six-coordinate while in the other it was considered to be five-coordinate. In the six-coordinated pathway, the ground state of bis imidazole iron verdoheme is singlet while that for open chain iron biliverdin it is triplet state with 4.86 kcal/mol more stable than the singlet state. The potential energy surface suggests that a spin inversion take place during the course of reaction after TS. The ring opening process in the six-coordinated pathway is in overall -2.26 kcal/mol exothermic with a kinetic barrier of 9.76 kcal/mol. In the five-coordinated pathway the reactant and product are in the ground triplet state. In this path, hydroxyl ion attacks the iron center to produce a complex, which is only 1.59 kcal/mol more stable than when OH(-) directly attacks the macrocycle. The activation barrier for the conversion of iron hydroxy species to the iron biliverdin complex by a rebound mechanism is estimated to be 32.68 kcal/mol. Large barrier for rebound mechanism, small barrier of 4.18 kcal/mol for ring opening process of the hydroxylated macrocycle, and relatively same stabilities for complexes resulted by the attack of nucleophile to the iron and macrocycle indicate that five-coordinated pathway with direct attack of nucleophile to the 5-oxo position of macrocycle might be the path for the conversion of verdoheme to biliverdin.

Theoretical investigations of the reactivity of verdoheme analogues: opening of the planar macrocycle by amide, dimethyl amide, and hydroxide nucleophiles to form helical biliverdin type complexes

Nucleophilic addition reactions of NH(2)(-),NMe(2)(-) and OH(-) to a zinc(II) verdoheme complex have been investigated using B3LYP method. Results show that presence of zinc(II) ion in the center of macrocycle leads to an increase of positive charge on the carbon atoms adjacent to the oxygen in the zinc(II) verdoheme complex relative to the free 5-oxaporphyrin macrocycle. It has been determined that an intermediate is initially formed by nucleophilic attack to one of aforementioned carbon atoms. This intermediate is then directly converted to helical open-ring complex [Zn(II)(OEBNü)] or [Zn(II)(BNü)] by passing through a transition state. Even though the most positive center for the nucleophile to attack is the zinc ion of zinc(II) verdoheme, it has been shown that such addition does not lead to a stable intermediate. Thus the zinc atom has no coordination role in transferring the nucleophiles to the oxo-carbon, but it just has the effect of activating oxo-carbon for nucleophile addition. The following order of nucleophile strength has been obtained: NH(2)(-) > NMe(2)(-) > OH(-) NBO analysis has shown that interaction of nucleophile with the zinc ion of zinc(II) verdoheme complex decreases charge transfer of porphyrin ring to the zinc. This can be translated as an effective perturbation in the complex planar structure and thus an unstable intermediate. Even though the NBO analysis has demonstrated that bond strength of the oxo-carbon with the oxygen atom in the zinc(II) verdoheme is diminished when nucleophile has connected to the oxo-carbon, a relatively more stable intermediate is formed. Besides, it has been illustrated that molecular orbital calculations satisfy the NBO findings.

O(2)- and H(2)O(2)-dependent verdoheme degradation by heme oxygenase: reaction mechanisms and potential physiological roles of the dual pathway degradation

Heme oxygenase (HO) catalyzes the catabolism of heme to biliverdin, CO, and a free iron through three successive oxygenation steps. The third oxygenation, oxidative degradation of verdoheme to biliverdin, has been the least understood step despite its importance in regulating HO activity. We have examined in detail the degradation of a synthetic verdoheme IXalpha complexed with rat HO-1. Our findings include: 1) HO degrades verdoheme through a dual pathway using either O(2) or H(2)O(2); 2) the verdoheme reactivity with O(2) is the lowest among the three O(2) reactions in the HO catalysis, and the newly found H(2)O(2) pathway is approximately 40-fold faster than the O(2)-dependent verdoheme degradation; 3) both reactions are initiated by the binding of O(2) or H(2)O(2) to allow the first direct observation of degradation intermediates of verdoheme; and 4) Asp(140) in HO-1 is critical for the verdoheme degradation regardless of the oxygen source. On the basis of these findings, we propose that the HO enzyme activates O(2) and H(2)O(2) on the verdoheme iron with the aid of a nearby water molecule linked with Asp(140). These mechanisms are similar to the well established mechanism of the first oxygenation, meso-hydroxylation of heme, and thus, HO can utilize a common architecture to promote the first and third oxygenation steps of the heme catabolism. In addition, our results infer the possible involvement of the H(2)O(2)-dependent verdoheme degradation in vivo, and potential roles of the dual pathway reaction of HO against oxidative stress are proposed.

Oxidative Verdoheme Formation and Stabilization by Axial Isocyanide Ligation

The effect of isocyanides as axial ligands on the formation and stability of verdoheme by oxidation has been examined. The reaction of [Fe(III)(OEPO)]2 with t-butyl isocyanide under dioxygen-free conditions results in the formation of (t-BuNC)2Fe(II)(OEPO*) with an electron paramagnetic resonance at g=2.009 with a peak-to-peak separation of 23.5 G at 4 K. (OEPO is the trianion of octaethyloxophlorin and OEPO* is the radical dianion obtained from OEPO by one-electron oxidation.) Exposure of chloroform solutions of either (2,6-xylylNC)2Fe(II)(OEPO*) or (t-BuNC)2Fe(II)(OEPO*) to dioxygen followed by the addition of ammonium hexafluorophosphate results in their transformation into the diamagnetic verdohemes, [(2,6-xylylNC)2Fe(II)(OEOP)](PF6) and [(t-BuNC)2Fe(II)(OEOP)](PF6), yields 68 and 70%, respectively. (OEOP is the anion of octaethyl-5-oxaporphyrin.) The oxidation reactions of (2,6-xylylNC)2Fe(II)(OEPO*) and (t-BuNC)2Fe(II)(OEPO*) have also been monitored by 1H NMR spectroscopy. No resonances due to paramagnetic products could be detected, the reactions appear to result only in the formation of the diamagnetic verdohemes, and the products are not susceptible to further oxidation.

Formation of a Highly Oxidized Iron Biliverdin Complex upon Treatment of a Five-Coordinate Verdoheme with Dioxygen

Treatment of a green solution of the five-coordinate octaethylverdoheme, XFeII(OEOP) 1 (X = Cl or Br), with dioxygen results in the formation of a new iron complex of octaethylbiliverdin, 2, within a matter of minutes. The reaction has been monitored by 1H NMR spectroscopy, and the product 2 (X = Cl) has been isolated and examined by X-ray crystallography. The structure of 2 (X = Cl) shows that the iron is five-coordinate with bonds to the four nitrogen atoms of the helical tetrapyrrole ligand and to an axial chloride. Treatment of 2 (X = Cl or Br) with zinc amalgam produces the known iron(III) complex of biliverdin, {FeIII(OEB)}2. The unusual pattern of resonances in the 1H NMR spectrum of 2 and its facile reduction to {FeIII(OEB)}2 indicate that 2 is an oxidized complex that can be formulated by resonance structures involving either an Fe(IV) ion bound to a bilindione trianion or an Fe(III) ion bound to an oxidized, dianionic, radical form of the ligand.

Crystal structure of rat heme oxygenase-1 in complex with biliverdin-iron chelate. Conformational change of the distal helix during the heme cleavage reaction

The crystal structure of rat heme oxygenase-1 in complex with biliverdin-iron chelate (biliverdin(Fe)-HO-1), the immediate precursor of the final product, biliverdin, has been determined at a 2.4-A resolution. The electron density in the heme pocket clearly showed that the tetrapyrrole ring of heme is cleaved at the alpha-meso edge. Like the heme bound to HO-1, biliverdin-iron chelate is located between the distal and proximal helices, but its accommodation state seems to be less stable in light of the disordering of the solvent-exposed propionate and vinyl groups. The middle of the distal helix is shifted away from the center of the active site in biliverdin(Fe)-HO-1, increasing the size of the heme pocket. The hydrogen-bonding interaction between Glu-29 and Gln-38, considered to restrain the orientation of the proximal helix in the heme-HO-1 complex, was lost in biliverdin(Fe)-HO-1, leading to relaxation of the helix. Biliverdin has a distorted helical conformation; the lactam oxygen atom of its pyrrole ring-A interacted with Asp-140 through a hydrogen-bonding solvent network. Because of the absence of a distal water ligand, the iron atom is five-coordinated with His-25 and four pyrrole nitrogen atoms. The coordination geometry deviates considerably from a square pyramid, suggesting that the iron may be readily dissociated. We speculate that the opened conformation of the heme pocket facilitates sequential product release, first iron then biliverdin, and that because of biliverdin's increased flexibility, iron release triggers its slow dissociation.

Metallobiliverdin radicals--DFT studies

Several aspects of the molecular and electronic structure of biliverdin derivatives have been studied using density functional theory (DFT). The calculations have been performed for complexes of trianion (BvO2)3- and dianion [BvO(OH)]2-, derived from two tautomeric forms of biliverdin, BvO2H3 and [BvO(OH)]H2, with redox innocent metal ions: lithium(I), zinc(II), and gallium(III). One-electron-oxidized and reduced forms of each complex (cation and anion radicals) have been also considered. The molecular structures of all species investigated are characterized by a helical arrangement of tetrapyrrolic ligands with the metal ion lying in the plane formed by the two central pyrrole rings. The spin density distribution in four types of metallobiliverdin radicals--[(BvO2.)Mn+]n-2,[[BvO(OH).]Mn+]n-1 (cation radicals),[(BvO2.)Mn+]n-4,[[BvO(OH).]Mn+]n-3 (anion radicals)--has been investigated. In general, the absolute values of spin density on meso carbon atoms were larger than for the beta-carbon atoms. Sign alteration of spin density has been found for meso positions, and also for the beta-carbon atoms of at least two pyrrole rings. The calculated spin density maps accounted for the essential NMR spectroscopic features of iron biliverdin derivatives, including the considerable isotropic shifts detected for the meso resonances and shift alteration at the meso and beta-positions.

Ring-opening and meso substitution from the reaction of cyanide ion with zinc verdohemes

The reactivity of zinc verdoheme, [Zn(II)(OEOP)](O(2)CCH(3)) where OEOP is the monoanion of octaethyl-5-oxaporphyrin, with cyanide ion has been shown to be a complex process that involves not only the expected ring-opening of the macrocycle, as occurs with other nucleophiles (methoxide, methanethiolate, dimethylamide), but also substitution at one or two of the meso positions. The ring-opened products have been subjected to crystallographic study. The structures of mu-H(2)O-[Zn(II)(OEB-10,19-(CN)(2))](2) and mu-H(2)O-[(Zn(II)(OEB-10,15,19-(CN)(3))](2) both consist of two helical tetrapyrrole subunits that are coordinated to a zinc ion through four Zn-N bonds. The two zinc ions are coordinated to a bridging water molecule that is also hydrogen bonded to a lactam oxygen atom at one end of each tetrapyrrole subunit. Thus the chiral sense of one helical Zn(II)(OEB-10,19-(CN)(2)) portion is transmitted to the other Zn(II)(OEB-10,19-(CN)(2)) unit and the resulting binuclear unit is chiral. In contrast Co(II)(OEB-15,19-(CN)(2)), which was obtained by the insertion of Co(II) into the free ligand, is monomeric with a four-coordinate cobalt ion. A series of DFT geometry optimization calculations were performed on zinc complexes of 5-oxaporphyrins (verdoheme), verdins (bilindione), 4-cyano-5-oxaporphyrins, and 19-cyanoverdins in an effort to gain insights to the features of these complexes and the reactions that lead to meso-cyano-substituted cyanoverdins.

Verdoheme reactivity. Remarkable paramagnetically shifted (1)H NMR spectra of intermediates from the addition of hydroxide or methoxide with Fe(II) and Fe(III) verdohemes

Studies of the reaction of 5-oxaporphyrin iron complexes (verdohemes) with methoxide ion or hydroxide ion have been undertaken to understand the initial step of ring opening of verdohemes. High-spin [ClFe(III)(OEOP)] undergoes a complex series of reactions upon treatment with hydroxide ion in chloroform, and similar species are also detected in dichloromethane, acetonitrile, and dimethyl sulfoxide. Three distinct paramagnetic intermediates have been identified by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. These reactive species are formed by addition of hydroxide to the macrocycle and to the iron as an axial ligand. Treatment of low-spin [(py)(2)Fe(II)(OEOP)]Cl (OEOP is the monoanion of octaethyl-5-oxaporphyrin) with excess methoxide ion in pyridine solution produces [(py)(n)()Fe(II)(OEBOMe)] (n = 1 or 2) ((OEBOMe), dianion of octaethylmethoxybiliverdin), whose (1)H NMR spectrum undergoes marked alteration upon addition of further amounts of methoxide ion. An identical (1)H NMR spectrum, which is characterized by methylene resonances with both upfield and downfield paramagnetic shifts, is formed upon treatment of [Fe(II)(OEBOMe)](2) with methoxide in pyridine solution and results from the formation of [(MeO)Fe(II)(OEBOMe)](-).

Oxidation of copper(II) hydroxyporphyrin (oxophlorin); oxidative ring opening and formation of an ester-linked, dinuclear copper complex

Addition of copper(II) acetate to octaethyl(meso-hydroxy)porphyrin (H2OEPOH) in THF under a dinitrogen atmosphere produces CuII(OEPOH), which has been isolated as red crystals and shown to have a meso-hydroxyporphyrin structure by UV-vis and EPR spectroscopy. CuII(OEPOH) undergoes oxidation by dioxygen to form a novel dinuclear copper complex {CuII(OEPOC(O)OEB)CuII}. This dinuclear complex is composed of a copper(II) meso-substituted porphyrin portion (with a planar CuN4 unit), which is attached through an ester linkage to a helical copper(II) tetrapyrrole that has been ring-opened through oxidative cleavage of a second molecule of CuII(OEPOH). The oxidative ring-opening reaction resembles that of natural heme catabolism but is arrested at a stage where the oxidized meso-carbon is still appended to the helical open tetrapyrrole. A mechanism is suggested for this process.Key words: copper porphyrin, crystal structure, porphyrin oxidation, linear tetrapyrrole, hydroxy-porphyrin, oxophlorin.

Separation and identification of the regioisomers of verdoheme by reversed-phase ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography, and characterization of their complexes with heme oxygenase

We report an HPLC method for separating the four regioisomers of verdoheme formed in the coupled oxidation of hemin with oxygen and ascorbate in aqueous pyridine. The reversed-phase ion-pair system uses hexafluoroacetone and pyridine as ion-pair agents. The regiochemistry of the separated isomers was established both by HPLC of the corresponding biliverdin IX derivatives and by 1H NMR of each isomer. Optical spectra of the pyridine verdohemochrome isomers were similar to each other, but showed differences in the absorption maxima in the red region, which appear at 680, 663, 648 and 660 nm for the alpha, beta, gamma, and delta-isomers, respectively. Each of the four isomers was incorporated anaerobically into heme oxygenase-1, yielding the corresponding verdoheme-enzyme complex. The ferrous forms had absorption maxima at 690, 667, 655, and 663 nm, and their CO-bound forms had maxima at 638, 624, 616, and 626 nm for alpha, beta, gamma, and delta-isomer, respectively. Addition of ferricyanide to the alpha-verdoheme-heme oxygenase complex brought about a ferric low-spin heme-like signal, which is identical with the ferric alpha-verdoheme complexed with the heme oxygenase that was observed in the heme oxygenase reaction.