Insights into the P-to-Q conversion in the catalytic cycle of methane monooxygenase from a synthetic model system

Recent Insights into the Reaction Mechanisms of Non-Heme Diiron Enzymes Containing Oxoiron(IV) Complexes

Oxoiron(IV) complexes are key intermediates in the catalytic reactions of some non-heme diiron enzymes. These enzymes, across various subfamilies, activate dioxygen to generate high-valent diiron-oxo species, which, in turn, drive the activation of substrates and mediate a variety of challenging oxidative transformations. In this review, we summarize the structures, formation mechanisms, and functions of high-valent diiron-oxo intermediates in eight representative diiron enzymes (sMMO, RNR, ToMO, MIOX, PhnZ, SCD1, AlkB, and SznF) spanning five subfamilies. We also categorize and analyze the structural and mechanistic differences among these enzymes.

A bis-Phenolate Carbene-Supported bis-μ-Oxo Iron(IV/IV) Complex with a [FeIV(μ-O)2FeIV] Diamond Core Derived from Dioxygen Activation

The diiron(II) complex, [(OCO)Fe(MeCN)]2 (1, MeCN = acetonitrile), supported by the bis-phenolate carbene pincer ligand, 1,3-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)benzimidazolin-2-ylidene (OCO), was synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared (IR) vibrational, ultraviolet/visible/near-infrared (UV/vis/NIR) electronic absorption, 57Fe Mössbauer, X-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and SQUID magnetization measurements. Complex 1 activates dioxygen to yield the diferric, μ-oxo-bridged complex [(OCO)Fe(py)(μ-O)Fe(O(C═O)O)(py)] (2) that was isolated and fully characterized. In 2, one of the iron-carbene bonds was oxidized to give a urea motif, resulting in an O(CNHC═O)O binding site, while the other Fe(OCO) unit remained unchanged. When the reaction is performed at -80 °C, an intensively colored, purple intermediate is observed (INT, λmax = 570 nm; ε = 5600 mol L-1 cm-1). INT acts as a sluggish oxidant, reacting only with easily oxidizable substrates, such as PPh3 or 2-phenylpropionic aldehyde (2-PPA). The identity of INT can be best described as a dinuclear complex containing a closed diamond core motif [(OCO)FeIV(μ-O)2FeIV(OCO)]. This proposal is based on extensive spectroscopic [UV/vis/NIR electronic absorption, 57Fe Mössbauer, X-band EPR, resonance Raman (rRaman), X-ray absorption, and nuclear resonance vibrational (NRVS)] and computational studies. The conversion of the diiron(II) complex 1 to the oxo diiron(IV) intermediate INT is reminiscent of the O2 activation process in soluble methane monooxygenases (sMMO). Most importantly, the low reactivity of INT supports the consensus that the [FeIV(μ-O)2FeIV] diamond core in sMMO is kinetically inert and needs to open up to terminal FeIV═O cores to react with the strong C-H bonds of methane.

Direct and remote control of electronic structures and redox potentials in μ-oxo diferric complexes

Non-heme diiron enzymes activate O2 for the oxidation of substrates in the form of peroxo FeIII2 or high-valent FeIV2 intermediates. We have developed a dinucleating bis(tetradentate) ligand system that stabilizes peroxo and hydroperoxo FeIII2 complexes with terminal 6-methylpyridine donors, while the peroxo FeIII2 intermediate is reactive with terminal pyridine donors presumably via conversion to a fluent high-valent FeIV2 intermediate. We present here a derivative with electron-donating methoxy substituents at the pyridine donors and its diferric complexes with an {FeIIIX(μ-O)FeIIIX} (X- = Cl-, OAc-, and OH-) or an {FeIII(μ-O)(μ-OAc)FeIII} core. The complex-induced oxidation of EtOH with H2O2 provides μ-OAc-, and in acetone, the complex with mixed OH-/OAc- exogenous donors is obtained. Both reactivities indicate a reactive fluent peroxo FeIII2 intermediate. The coupling constant J and the LMCT transitions are insensitive to the nature of the directly bound ligands X- and reflect mainly the electronic structure of the central {FeIII(μ-O)FeIII} core, while Mössbauer spectroscopy and d-d transitions probe the local FeIII sites. The remote methoxy substituents decrease the potential for the oxidation to FeIV by ∼100 mV, while directly bound OH- in {FeIII(OH)(μ-O)FeIII(OH)} with a short 1.91 Å FeIII-OOH bond decreases the potential by 590 mV compared to {FeIII(OAc)(μ-O)FeIII(OAc)} with a 2.01 Å FeIII-OOAc bond. Interestingly, this FeIII-OH bond is even shorter (1.87 Å) in the mixed OH-/OAc- complex but the potential is the mean value of the potentials of the OH-/OH- and OAc-/OAc- complexes, thus reflecting the electron density of the central {FeIII(μ-O)FeIII} core and not of the local FeIII-OH unit.

Reactive high-spin iron(IV)-oxo sites through dioxygen activation in a metal-organic framework

In nature, nonheme iron enzymes use dioxygen to generate high-spin iron(IV)=O species for a variety of oxygenation reactions. Although synthetic chemists have long sought to mimic this reactivity, the enzyme-like activation of O2 to form high-spin iron(IV) = O species remains an unrealized goal. Here, we report a metal-organic framework featuring iron(II) sites with a local structure similar to that in α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases. The framework reacts with O2 at low temperatures to form high-spin iron(IV) = O species that are characterized using in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform, in situ and variable-field Mössbauer, Fe Kβ x-ray emission, and nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopies. In the presence of O2, the framework is competent for catalytic oxygenation of cyclohexane and the stoichiometric conversion of ethane to ethanol.

The volatilome reveals microcystin concentration, microbial composition, and oxidative stress in a critical Oregon freshwater lake

IMPORTANCE

Harmful algal blooms are among the most significant threats to drinking water safety. Blooms dominated by cyanobacteria can produce potentially harmful toxins and, despite intensive research, toxin production remains unpredictable. We measured gaseous molecules in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, over 2 years and used them to predict the presence and concentration of the cyanotoxin, microcystin, and microbial community composition. Subsets of gaseous compounds were identified that are associated with microcystin production during oxidative stress, pointing to ecosystem-level interactions leading to microcystin contamination. Our approach shows potential for gaseous molecules to be harnessed in monitoring critical waterways.

Spectroscopic Properties of a Biologically Relevant [Fe2 (μ-O)2 ] Diamond Core Motif with a Short Iron-Iron Distance

Diiron cofactors in enzymes perform diverse challenging transformations. The structures of high valent intermediates (Q in methane monooxygenase and X in ribonucleotide reductase) are debated since Fe-Fe distances of 2.5-3.4 Å were attributed to "open" or "closed" cores with bridging or terminal oxido groups. We report the crystallographic and spectroscopic characterization of a Fe^III ₂ (μ-O)₂ complex (2) with tetrahedral (4C) centres and short Fe-Fe distance (2.52 Å), persisting in organic solutions. 2 shows a large Fe K-pre-edge intensity, which is caused by the pronounced asymmetry at the T_D Fe^III centres due to the short Fe-μ-O bonds. A ≈2.5 Å Fe-Fe distance is unlikely for six-coordinate sites in Q or X, but for a Fe₂ (μ-O)₂ core containing four-coordinate (or by possible extension five-coordinate) iron centres there may be enough flexibility to accommodate a particularly short Fe-Fe separation with intense pre-edge transition. This finding may broaden the scope of models considered for the structure of high-valent diiron intermediates formed upon O₂ activation in biology.

Magnetic and Dielectric Switchings Actuated by the Rotation of the Picoline Ligand in an Iron-Based Dinuclear Phase-Transition Complex

Multifunctional materials with switchable magnetic and dielectric properties are crucial for the development of memory and sensor devices. Herein, we report a methoxy-bridged dinuclear iron-pyridyl complex [Fe₂(4-picoline)₄(NCS)₄(μ-OCH₃)₂] (1), which shows simultaneous thermal-induced magnetic and dielectric switchings. Within the phase-transition temperature range, both magnetic switching and the dielectric anomaly were detected, in which the thermal hysteresis loops were 23 and 21 K, respectively. Detailed structural analyses revealed that these simultaneous switchings were rooted in the flexible rotatable ligands, which were actuated by readjusting the π-π intermolecular interactions between the pyridine ligands in the trans positions of the metal centers. These results were comprehensively investigated both experimentally and theoretically. This study presents a new guideline to control both the magnetic and dielectric properties of molecular complexes by external stimuli.

Determination of the iron(IV) local spin states of the Q intermediate of soluble methane monooxygenase by Kβ X-ray emission spectroscopy

Soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) facilitates the conversion of methane to methanol at a non-heme Fe^IV₂ intermediate MMOH_Q, which is formed in the active site of the sMMO hydroxylase component (MMOH) during the catalytic cycle. Other biological systems also employ high-valent Fe^IV sites in catalysis; however, MMOH_Q is unique as Nature’s only identified Fe^IV₂ intermediate. Previous ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopic studies have shown that MMOH_Q employs antiferromagnetic coupling of the two Fe^IV sites to yield a diamagnetic cluster. Unfortunately, this lack of net spin prevents the determination of the local spin state (S_loc) of each of the irons by most spectroscopic techniques. Here, we use Fe Kβ X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) to characterize the local spin states of the key intermediates of the sMMO catalytic cycle, including MMOH_Q trapped by rapid-freeze-quench techniques. A pure XES spectrum of MMOH_Q is obtained by subtraction of the contributions from other reaction cycle intermediates with the aid of Mössbauer quantification. Comparisons of the MMOH_Q spectrum with those of known S_loc = 1 and S_loc = 2 Fe^IV sites in chemical and biological models reveal that MMOH_Q possesses S_loc = 2 iron sites. This experimental determination of the local spin state will help guide future computational and mechanistic studies of sMMO catalysis.

Methane Monooxygenase Mimic Asymmetric Oxidation: Self-Assembling μ-Hydroxo, Carboxylate-Bridged Diiron(III)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Dehydrogenation

Mimicking naturally occurring metalloenzymes to enrich the diversity of catalytic asymmetric oxidation reactions is a long-standing goal for modern chemistry. Toward this end, a range of methane monooxygenase (MMO) mimic chiral carboxylate-bridged (μ-hydroxo) diiron(III) dimer complexes using salan as basal ligand and sodium aryl carboxylate as additive have been designed and synthesized. The chiral diiron complexes exhibit efficient catalytic reactivity in dehydrogenative kinetic resolution of indolines using environmentally benign hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. In particular, complex C9 bearing sterically encumbered salan ligands and a 2-naphthoate bridge is identified as the optimal catalyst in terms of chiral recognition. Further investigation reveals that this MMO mimic chiral catalyst can be readily generated by self-assembly under the dehydrogenation conditions. The self-assembling catalytic system is applicable to a series of indolines with multiple stereocenters and diverse substituent patterns in high efficiency with a high level of chiral recognition (selectivity factor up to 153). Late-stage dehydrogenative kinetic resolution of bioactive molecules is further examined.

Generation of a μ-1,2-hydroperoxo FeIIIFeIII and a μ-1,2-peroxo FeIVFeIII Complex

μ-1,2-Peroxo-diferric intermediates (P) of non-heme diiron enzymes are proposed to convert upon protonation either to high-valent active species or to activated P′ intermediates via hydroperoxo-diferric intermediates. Protonation of synthetic μ-1,2-peroxo model complexes occurred at the μ-oxo and not at the μ-1,2-peroxo bridge. Here we report a stable μ-1,2-peroxo complex {Fe^III(μ-O)(μ-1,2-O₂)Fe^III} using a dinucleating ligand and study its reactivity. The reversible oxidation and protonation of the μ-1,2-peroxo-diferric complex provide μ-1,2-peroxo Fe^IVFe^III and μ-1,2-hydroperoxo-diferric species, respectively. Neither the oxidation nor the protonation induces a strong electrophilic reactivity. Hence, the observed intramolecular C-H hydroxylation of preorganized methyl groups of the parent μ-1,2-peroxo-diferric complex should occur via conversion to a more electrophilic high-valent species. The thorough characterization of these species provides structure-spectroscopy correlations allowing insights into the formation and reactivities of hydroperoxo intermediates in diiron enzymes and their conversion to activated P′ or high-valent intermediates.

Iron coordination complexes can be used to gain insight on biologically relevant iron-oxygen compounds generated in iron metalloenzymes. Here, the authors characterise a μ-1,2-hydroperoxo Fe^IIIFe^III and a μ-1,2-peroxo Fe^IVFe^III, and study their reactivity in C-H activation.

Bioinspired Di-Fe Complexes: Correlating Structure and Proton Transfer over Four Oxidation States

Metalloproteins with active sites containing di-Fe cores exhibit diverse chemical reactivity that is linked to the precise transfer of protons and electrons which directly involve the di-Fe units. The redox conversions are commonly corroborated by spectroscopic methods, but the associated structural changes are often difficult to assess, particularly those related to proton movements. This report describes the development of di-Fe complexes in which the movements of protons and electrons are pinpointed during the stepwise oxidation of a di-Fe^II species to one with an Fe^IIIFe^IV core. Complex formation was promoted using the phosphinic amido tripodal ligand [poat]^3- (N,N',N″-[nitrilotris(ethane-2,1-diyl)]tris(P,P-diphenylphosphinic amido)) that provided dynamic coordination spheres that assisted in regulating both electron and proton transfer processes. Oxidation of an [Fe^II-(μ-OH)-Fe^III] complex led to the corresponding di-Fe^III species containing a hydroxido bridge that was not stable at room temperature and converted to a species containing an oxido bridging ligand and protonation of one phosphinic amido group to form [Hpoat]^2-. Deprotonation led to a new species with an [Fe^III-(μ-O)-Fe^III] core that could be further oxidized to its Fe^IIIFe^IV analogue. Reactions with phenols suggest homolytic cleavage of the O-H bond to give products that are consistent with the initial formation of a phenoxyl radical─spectroscopic studies indicated that the electron is transferred to the Fe^IV center, and the proton is initially transferred to the more sterically hindered oxido ligand but then relocates to [poat]^3-. These findings offer new mechanistic insights related to the stability of and the reactions performed by di-Fe enzymes.

Explorations of the nonheme high-valent iron-oxo landscape: crystal structure of a synthetic complex with an [FeIV2(μ-O)2] diamond core relevant to the chemistry of sMMOH

Methanotrophic bacteria utilize methane monooxygenase (MMO) to carry out the first step in metabolizing methane. The soluble enzymes employ a hydroxylase component (sMMOH) with a nonheme diiron active site that activates O₂ and generates a powerful oxidant capable of converting methane to methanol. It is proposed that the diiron(II) center in the reduced enzyme reacts with O₂ to generate a diferric-peroxo intermediate called P that then undergoes O-O cleavage to convert into a diiron(IV) derivative called Q, which carries out methane hydroxylation. Most (but not all) of the spectroscopic data of Q accumulated by various groups to date favor the presence of an FeIV2(μ-O)₂ unit with a diamond core. The Que lab has had a long-term interest in making synthetic analogs of iron enzyme intermediates. To this end, the first crystal structure of a complex with a Fe^IIIFe^IV(μ-O)₂ diamond core was reported in 1999, which exhibited an Fe⋯Fe distance of 2.683(1) Å. Now more than 20 years later, a complex with an FeIV2(μ-O)₂ diamond core has been synthesized in sufficient purity to allow diffraction-quality crystals to be grown. Its crystal structure has been solved, revealing an Fe⋯Fe distance of 2.711(4) Å for comparison with structural data for related complexes with lower iron oxidation states.

Second-Sphere Lattice Effects in Copper and Iron Zeolite Catalysis

Transition-metal-exchanged zeolites perform remarkable chemical reactions from low-temperature methane to methanol oxidation to selective reduction of NOx pollutants. As with metalloenzymes, metallozeolites have impressive reactivities that are controlled in part by interactions outside the immediate coordination sphere. These second-sphere effects include activating a metal site through enforcing an "entatic" state, controlling binding and access to the metal site with pockets and channels, and directing radical rebound vs cage escape. This review explores these effects with emphasis placed on but not limited to the selective oxidation of methane to methanol with a focus on copper and iron active sites, although other transition-metal-ion zeolite reactions are also explored. While the actual active-site geometric and electronic structures are different in the copper and iron metallozeolites compared to the metalloenzymes, their second-sphere interactions with the lattice or the protein environments are found to have strong parallels that contribute to their high activity and selectivity.

Mimicking reactive high-valent diiron-μ2-oxo intermediates of nonheme enzymes by an iron tetracarbene complex

The first diiron(iii,iv)-μ2-oxo tetracarbene complex is isolated and characterized by SC-XRD, UV/Vis, EPR, Evans' NMR and elemental analysis. CV indicates the presence of a transient high-valent diiron(iv)-μ2-oxo species. Its formation and decay is investigated via UV/Vis kinetics and NMR.

Synthesis of Carbonato- and Doubly Oxido-Bridged Diruthenium(III,IV) Complex and Reactions with Cations

Doubly oxido-bridged transition metal moieties, {M₂(μ-O)₂}, play important roles as oxidation reaction centers in nature. This work features a diruthenium(III,IV) complex with a doubly oxido-bridged core {Ru₂^III,IV(μ-O)₂}³⁺ with a carbonato bridged between the two ruthenium centers, M[{Ru^III,IV(ebpma)}₂(μ-O)₂(μ-O₂CO)]₂(PF₆)₃ (M[1_CO3]₂(PF₆)₃; Carbonato complex, ebpma; ethylbis(2-pyridymethyl)amine), and explores the interactions of this complex with cations (H⁺ and M⁺). M[1_CO3]₂(PF₆)₃ was formed via reactions of a singly oxido-bridged complex, [{Ru^III,IVCl₂(ebpma)}₂(μ-O)]PF₆·(CH₃)₂CO, with M₂CO₃ (M = K, Na) or with CO₂(g), adjusted to around pH 12 with NaOH(aq.), in a water-acetone mixed solvent. The Carbonato complex was isolated as a powder in the form of M[1_CO3]₂(PF₆)₃ (M = K, Na), because of the interactions between the carbonato moiety and K⁺ or Na⁺ in the solid structure. In acidic aqueous solutions, unexpectedly, the carbonato ligand remained bound to the doubly bridged core, {Ru₂^III,IV(μ-O)₂}³⁺ or {Ru₂^III,IV(μ-O)(μ-OH)}⁴⁺, without decarboxylation even under pH 1.0. Two-step one-protonation/deprotonation occurred reversibly between pH 1.0 and 13.2 to the bridging oxido and carbonato ligands. The structures of the corresponding one- and two-protonated complexes ([1_CO3H]²⁺ and [1_CO32H]³⁺) were successfully characterized.

μ-Oxo-bridged diiron(iii) complexes of tripodal 4N ligands as catalysts for alkane hydroxylation reaction using m-CPBA as an oxidant: substrate vs. self hydroxylation

A series of non-heme μ-oxo-bridged dinuclear iron(iii) complexes of the type [Fe₂(μ-O)(L1–L6)₂Cl₂]Cl₂1–6 have been isolated and their catalytic activity towards oxidative transformation of alkanes into alcohols has been studied using m-choloroperbenzoic acid (m-CPBA) as an oxidant. All the complexes were characterized by CHN, electrochemical, and UV-visible spectroscopic techniques. The molecular structures of 2 and 5 have been determined successfully by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and both possesses octahedral coordination geometry and each iron atom is coordinated by four nitrogen atoms of the 4N ligand and a bridging oxygen. The sixth position of each octahedron is coordinated by a chloride ion. The (μ-oxo)diiron(iii) core is linear in 2 (Fe–O–Fe, 180.0°), whereas it is non-linear (Fe–O–Fe, 161°) in 5. All the diiron(iii) complexes show quasi-reversible one electron transfer in the cyclic voltammagram and catalyze the hydroxylation of alkanes like cyclohexane, adamantane with m-CPBA as an oxidant. In acetonitrile solution, adding excess m-CPBA to the diiron(iii) complex 2 without chloride ions leads to intramolecular hydroxylation reaction of the oxidant. Interestingly, 2 catalyzes alkane hydroxylation in the presence of chloride ions, but intramolecular hydroxylation in the absence of chloride ions. The observed selectivity for cyclohexane (A/K, 5–7) and adamantane (3°/2°, 9–18) suggests the involvement of high-valent iron–oxo species rather than freely diffusing radicals in the catalytic reaction. Moreover, 4 oxidizes (A/K, 7) cyclohexane very efficiently up to 513 TON while 5 oxidizes adamantane with good selectivity (3°/2°, 18) using m-CPBA as an oxidant. The electronic effects of ligand donors dictate the efficiency and selectivity of catalytic hydroxylation of alkanes.

The ligand stereoelectronic effect of diiron(iii) complexes determines the efficiency and selectivity of catalytic alkane hydroxylation with m-CPBA as an oxidant.

Iron-Catalyzed Water Oxidation: O-O Bond Formation via Intramolecular Oxo-Oxo Interaction

Herein, we report the importance of structure regulation on the O-O bond formation process in binuclear iron catalysts. Three complexes, [Fe₂ (μ-O)(OH₂ )₂ (TPA)₂ ]⁴⁺ (1), [Fe₂ (μ-O)(OH₂ )₂ (6-HPA)]⁴⁺ (2) and [Fe₂ (μ-O)(OH₂ )₂ (BPMAN)]⁴⁺ (3), have been designed as electrocatalysts for water oxidation in 0.1 M NaHCO₃ solution (pH 8.4). We found that 1 and 2 are molecular catalysts and that O-O bond formation proceeds via oxo-oxo coupling rather than by the water nucleophilic attack (WNA) pathway. In contrast, complex 3 displays negligible catalytic activity. DFT calculations suggested that the anti to syn isomerization of the two high-valent Fe=O moieties in these catalysts takes place via the axial rotation of one Fe=O unit around the Fe-O-Fe center. This is followed by the O-O bond formation via an oxo-oxo coupling pathway at the Fe^IV Fe^IV state or via oxo-oxyl coupling pathway at the Fe^IV Fe^V state. Importantly, the rigid BPMAN ligand in complex 3 limits the anti to syn isomerization and axial rotation of the Fe=O moiety, which accounts for the negligible catalytic activity.

Structure-Spectroscopy Correlations for Intermediate Q of Soluble Methane Monooxygenase: Insights from QM/MM Calculations

The determination of the diiron core intermediate structures involved in the catalytic cycle of soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO), the enzyme that selectively catalyzes the conversion of methane to methanol, has been a subject of intense interest within the bioinorganic scientific community. Particularly, the specific geometry and electronic structure of the intermediate that precedes methane binding, known as intermediate Q (or MMOHQ), has been debated for over 30 years. Some reported studies support a bis-μ-oxo-bridged Fe(IV)2O2 closed-core conformation Fe(IV)2O2 core, whereas others favor an open-core geometry, with a longer Fe-Fe distance. The lack of consensus calls for a thorough re-examination and reinterpretation of the spectroscopic data available on the MMOHQ intermediate. Herein, we report extensive simulations based on a hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics approach (QM/MM) approach that takes into account the complete enzyme to explore possible conformations for intermediates MMOHox and MMOHQ of the sMMOH catalytic cycle. High-level quantum chemical approaches are used to correlate specific structural motifs with geometric parameters for comparison with crystallographic and EXAFS data, as well as with spectroscopic data from Mössbauer spectroscopy, Fe K-edge high-energy resolution X-ray absorption spectroscopy (HERFD XAS), and resonance Raman 16O-18O difference spectroscopy. The results provide strong support for an open-core-type configuration in MMOHQ, with the most likely topology involving mono-oxo-bridged Fe ions and alternate terminal Fe-oxo and Fe-hydroxo groups that interact via intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The implications of an open-core intermediate Q on the reaction mechanism of sMMO are discussed.

CeIV - and HClO4 -Promoted Assembly of an Fe2IV (μ-O)2 Diamond Core from its Monomeric FeIV =O Precursor at Room Temperature

Diiron(IV)-oxo species are proposed to effect the cleavage of strong C-H bonds by nonheme diiron enzymes such as soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) and fatty acid desaturases. However, synthetic mimics of such diiron(IV) oxidants are rare. Herein we report the reaction of (TPA*)FeII (1) (TPA*=tris(3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxypyridyl-2-methyl)amine) in CH3 CN with 4 equiv CAN and 200 equiv HClO4 at 20 °C to form a complex with an [FeIV2 (μ-O)2 ]4+ core. CAN and HClO4 play essential roles in this unprecedented transformation, in which the comproportionation of FeIII -O-CeIV and FeIV =O/Ce4+ species is proposed to be involved in the assembly of the [FeIV2 (μ-O)2 ]4+ core.

Catalytic H2O2 Activation by a Diiron Complex for Methanol Oxidation

In nature, C-H bond oxidation of CH₄ involves a peroxo intermediate that decays to the high-valent active species of either a "closed" {Fe^IV(μ-O)₂Fe^IV} core or an "open" {Fe^IV(O)(μ-O)Fe^IV(O)} core. To mimic and to obtain more mechanistic insight in this reaction mode, we have investigated the reactivity of the bioinspired diiron complex [(susan){Fe(OH)(μ-O)Fe(OH)}]²⁺ [susan = 4,7-dimethyl-1,1,10,10-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazadecane], which catalyzes CH₃OH oxidation with H₂O₂ to HCHO and HCO₂H. The kinetics is faster in the presence of a proton. ¹⁸O-labeling experiments show that the active species, generated by a decay of the initially formed peroxo intermediate [(susan){Fe^III(μ-O)(μ-O₂)Fe^III}]²⁺, contains one reactive oxygen atom from the μ-oxo and another from the μ-peroxo bridge of its peroxo precursor. Considering an Fe^IVFe^IV active species, a "closed" {Fe^IV(μ-O)₂Fe^IV} core explains the observed labeling results, while a scrambling of the terminal and bridging oxo ligands is required to account for an "open" {Fe^IV(O)(μ-O)Fe^IV(O)} core.

Deciphering the origin of million-fold reactivity observed for the open core diiron [HO-FeIII-O-FeIV[double bond, length as m-dash]O]2+ species towards C-H bond activation: role of spin-states, spin-coupling, and spin-cooperation

High-valent metal-oxo species have been characterised as key intermediates in both heme and non-heme enzymes that are found to perform efficient aliphatic hydroxylation, epoxidation, halogenation, and dehydrogenation reactions. Several biomimetic model complexes have been synthesised over the years to mimic both the structure and function of metalloenzymes. The diamond-core [Fe2(μ-O)2] is one of the celebrated models in this context as this has been proposed as the catalytically active species in soluble methane monooxygenase enzymes (sMMO), which perform the challenging chemical conversion of methane to methanol at ease. In this context, a report of open core [HO(L)FeIII-O-FeIV(O)(L)]2+ (1) gains attention as this activates C-H bonds a million-fold faster compared to the diamond-core structure and has the dual catalytic ability to perform hydroxylation as well as desaturation with organic substrates. In this study, we have employed density functional methods to probe the origin of the very high reactivity observed for this complex and also to shed light on how this complex performs efficient hydroxylation and desaturation of alkanes. By modelling fifteen possible spin-states for 1 that could potentially participate in the reaction mechanism, our calculations reveal a doublet ground state for 1 arising from antiferromagnetic coupling between the quartet FeIV centre and the sextet FeIII centre, which regulates the reactivity of this species. The unusual stabilisation of the high-spin ground state for FeIV[double bond, length as m-dash]O is due to the strong overlap of with the orbital, reducing the antibonding interactions via spin-cooperation. The electronic structure features computed for 1 are consistent with experiments offering confidence in the methodology chosen. Further, we have probed various mechanistic pathways for the C-H bond activation as well as -OH rebound/desaturation of alkanes. An extremely small barrier height computed for the first hydrogen atom abstraction by the terminal FeIV[double bond, length as m-dash]O unit was found to be responsible for the million-fold activation observed in the experiments. The barrier height computed for -OH rebound by the FeIII-OH unit is also smaller suggesting a facile hydroxylation of organic substrates by 1. A strong spin-cooperation between the two iron centres also reduces the barrier for second hydrogen atom abstraction, thus making the desaturation pathway competitive. Both the spin-state as well as spin-coupling between the two metal centres play a crucial role in dictating the reactivity for species 1. By exploring various mechanistic pathways, our study unveils the fact that the bridged μ-oxo group is a poor electrophile for both C-H activation as well for -OH rebound. As more and more evidence is gathered in recent years for the open core geometry of sMMO enzymes, the idea of enhancing the reactivity via an open-core motif has far-reaching consequences.

Sc3+-Promoted O-O Bond Cleavage of a (μ-1,2-Peroxo)diiron(III) Species Formed from an Iron(II) Precursor and O2 to Generate a Complex with an FeIV2(μ-O)2 Core

Soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) carries out methane oxidation at 4 °C and under ambient pressure in a catalytic cycle involving the formation of a peroxodiiron(III) intermediate (P) from the oxygenation of the diiron(II) enzyme and its subsequent conversion to Q, the diiron(IV) oxidant that hydroxylates methane. Synthetic diiron(IV) complexes that can serve as models for Q are rare and have not been generated by a reaction sequence analogous to that of sMMO. In this work, we show that [Fe^II(Me₃NTB)(CH₃CN)](CF₃SO₃)₂ (Me₃NTB = tris((1-methyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)methyl)amine) (1) reacts with O₂ in the presence of base, generating a (μ-1,2-peroxo)diiron(III) adduct with a low O-O stretching frequency of 825 cm^-1 and a short Fe···Fe distance of 3.07 Å. Even more interesting is the observation that the peroxodiiron(III) complex undergoes O-O bond cleavage upon treatment with the Lewis acid Sc³⁺ and transforms into a bis(μ-oxo)diiron(IV) complex, thus providing a synthetic precedent for the analogous conversion of P to Q in the catalytic cycle of sMMO.

Theoretical study on the catalytic mechanism of human deoxyhypusine hydroxylase

Deoxyhypusine hydroxylase is a critical enzyme for hypusination of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A.

High-Resolution Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Analysis Provides Evidence for a Longer Fe···Fe Distance in the Q Intermediate of Methane Monooxygenase

Despite decades of intense research, the core structure of the methane C-H bond breaking diiron(IV) intermediate, Q, of soluble methane monooxygenase remains controversial, with conflicting reports supporting either a "diamond" diiron core structure or an open core structure. Early extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) data assigned a short 2.46 Å Fe-Fe distance to Q (Shu et al. Science 1997, 275, 515 ) that is inconsistent with several theoretical studies and in conflict with our recent high-resolution Fe K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) studies (Castillo et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 18024 ). Herein, we revisit the EXAFS of Q using high-energy resolution fluorescence-detected extended X-ray absorption fine structure (HERFD-EXAFS) studies. The present data show no evidence for a short Fe-Fe distance, but rather a long 3.4 Å diiron distance, as observed in open core synthetic model complexes. The previously reported 2.46 Å feature plausibly arises from a background metallic iron contribution from the experimental setup, which is eliminated in HERFD-EXAFS due to the increased selectivity. Herein, we explore the origin of the short diiron feature in partial-fluorescent yield EXAFS measurements and discuss the diagnostic features of background metallic scattering contribution to the EXAFS of dilute biological samples. Lastly, differences in sample preparation and resultant sample inhomogeneity in rapid-freeze quenched samples for EXAFS analysis are discussed. The presented approaches have broad implications for EXAFS studies of all dilute iron-containing samples.

Dioxygen Activation by Nonheme Diiron Enzymes: Diverse Dioxygen Adducts, High-Valent Intermediates, and Related Model Complexes

A growing subset of metalloenzymes activates dioxygen with nonheme diiron active sites to effect substrate oxidations that range from the hydroxylation of methane and the desaturation of fatty acids to the deformylation of fatty aldehydes to produce alkanes and the six-electron oxidation of aminoarenes to nitroarenes in the biosynthesis of antibiotics. A common feature of their reaction mechanisms is the formation of O2 adducts that evolve into more reactive derivatives such as diiron(II,III)-superoxo, diiron(III)-peroxo, diiron(III,IV)-oxo, and diiron(IV)-oxo species, which carry out particular substrate oxidation tasks. In this review, we survey the various enzymes belonging to this unique subset and the mechanisms by which substrate oxidation is carried out. We examine the nature of the reactive intermediates, as revealed by X-ray crystallography and the application of various spectroscopic methods and their associated reactivity. We also discuss the structural and electronic properties of the model complexes that have been found to mimic salient aspects of these enzyme active sites. Much has been learned in the past 25 years, but key questions remain to be answered.

New mechanistic insights into intramolecular aromatic ligand hydroxylation and benzyl alcohol oxidation initiated by the well-defined (μ-peroxo)diiron(iii) complex

A (μ-peroxo)diiron(iii) complex [Fe₂(L^Ph₄)(O₂)(Ph₃CCO₂)]²⁺ (1-O₂) with a dinucleating ligand (L^Ph₄), generated from the reaction of a carboxylate bridged diiron(ii) complex [Fe₂(L^Ph₄)(Ph₃CCO₂)]²⁺ (1) with dioxygen in CH₂Cl₂, provides a diiron(iv)-oxo species as an active oxidant which is involved in either aromatic ligand hydroxylation or benzyl alcohol oxidation.

High-Energy-Resolution Fluorescence-Detected X-ray Absorption of the Q Intermediate of Soluble Methane Monooxygenase

Kα high-energy-resolution fluorescence detected X-ray absorption spectroscopy (HERFD XAS) provides a powerful tool for overcoming the limitations of conventional XAS to identify the electronic structure and coordination environment of metalloprotein active sites. Herein, Fe Kα HERFD XAS is applied to the diiron active site of soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) and to a series of high-valent diiron model complexes, including diamond-core [FeIV2(μ-O)2(L)2](ClO4)4] (3) and open-core [(O═FeIV-O-FeIV(OH)(L)2](ClO4)3 (4) models (where, L = tris(3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxypyridyl-2-methyl)amine) (TPA*)). Pronounced differences in the HERFD XAS pre-edge energies and intensities are observed for the open versus closed Fe2O2 cores in the model compounds. These differences are reproduced by time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations and allow for the pre-edge energies and intensity to be directly correlated with the local active site geometric and electronic structure. A comparison of the model complex HERFD XAS data to that of MMOHQ (the key intermediate in methane oxidation) is supportive of an open-core structure. Specifically, the large pre-edge area observed for MMOHQ may be rationalized by invoking an open-core structure with a terminal FeIV═O motif, though further modulations of the core structure due to the protein environment cannot be ruled out. The present study thus motivates the need for additional experimental and theoretical studies to unambiguously assess the active site conformation of MMOHQ.

Evidence for a Di-μ-oxo Diamond Core in the Mn(IV)/Fe(IV) Activation Intermediate of Ribonucleotide Reductase from Chlamydia trachomatis

High-valent iron and manganese complexes effect some of the most challenging biochemical reactions known, including hydrocarbon and water oxidations associated with the global carbon cycle and oxygenic photosynthesis, respectively. Their extreme reactivity presents an impediment to structural characterization, but their biological importance and potential chemical utility have, nevertheless, motivated extensive efforts toward that end. Several such intermediates accumulate during activation of class I ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) β subunits, which self-assemble dimetal cofactors with stable one-electron oxidants that serve to initiate the enzyme's free-radical mechanism. In the class I-c β subunit from Chlamydia trachomatis, a heterodinuclear Mn(II)/Fe(II) complex reacts with dioxygen to form a Mn(IV)/Fe(IV) intermediate, which undergoes reduction of the iron site to produce the active Mn(IV)/Fe(III) cofactor. Herein, we assess the structure of the Mn(IV)/Fe(IV) activation intermediate using Fe- and Mn-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis and multifrequency pulse electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The EXAFS results reveal a metal-metal vector of 2.74-2.75 Å and an intense light-atom (C/N/O) scattering interaction 1.8 Å from the Fe. Pulse EPR data reveal an exchangeable deuterium hyperfine coupling of strength |T| = 0.7 MHz, but no stronger couplings. The results suggest that the intermediate possesses a di-μ-oxo diamond core structure with a terminal hydroxide ligand to the Mn(IV).

X-ray absorption spectroscopic characterization of the diferric-peroxo intermediate of human deoxyhypusine hydroxylase in the presence of its substrate eIF5a

Human deoxyhypusine hydroxylase (hDOHH) is an enzyme that is involved in the critical post-translational modification of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A). Following the conversion of a lysine residue on eIF5A to deoxyhypusine (Dhp) by deoxyhypusine synthase, hDOHH hydroxylates Dhp to yield the unusual amino acid residue hypusine (Hpu), a modification that is essential for eIF5A to promote peptide synthesis at the ribosome, among other functions. Purification of hDOHH overexpressed in E. coli affords enzyme that is blue in color, a feature that has been associated with the presence of a peroxo-bridged diiron(III) active site. To gain further insight into the nature of the diiron site and how it may change as hDOHH goes through the catalytic cycle, we have conducted X-ray absorption spectroscopic studies of hDOHH on five samples that represent different species along its reaction pathway. Structural analysis of each species has been carried out, starting with the reduced diferrous state, proceeding through its O2 adduct, and ending with a diferric decay product. Our results show that the Fe⋯Fe distances found for the five samples fall within a narrow range of 3.4-3.5 Å, suggesting that hDOHH has a fairly constrained active site. This pattern differs significantly from what has been associated with canonical dioxygen activating nonheme diiron enzymes, such as soluble methane monooxygenase and Class 1A ribonucleotide reductases, for which the Fe⋯Fe distance can change by as much as 1 Å during the redox cycle. These results suggest that the O2 activation mechanism for hDOHH deviates somewhat from that associated with the canonical nonheme diiron enzymes, opening the door to new mechanistic possibilities for this intriguing family of enzymes.

New mechanistic insight into intramolecular arene hydroxylation initiated by (μ-1,2-peroxo)diiron(III) complexes with dinucleating ligands

(μ-1,2-Peroxo)diiron(iii) complexes (-R) with dinucleating ligands (R-L) generated from the reaction of bis(μ-hydroxo)diiron(ii) complexes [Fe2(R-L)(OH)2](2+) (-R) with dioxygen in acetone at -20 °C provide a diiron-centred electrophilic oxidant, presumably diiron(iv)-oxo species, which is involved in aromatic ligand hydroxylation.

Intramolecular C-H and C-F Bond Oxygenation Mediated by a Putative Terminal Oxo Species in Tetranuclear Iron Complexes

Herein we report the intramolecular arene C-H and C-F bond oxygenation by tetranuclear iron complexes. Treatment of [LFe3(PhPz)3OFe][OTf]2 (1) or its fluorinated analog [LFe3(F2ArPz)3OFe][OTf]2 (5) with iodosobenzene results in the regioselective hydroxylation of a bridging pyrazolate ligand, converting a C-H or C-F bond into a C-O bond. The observed reactivity suggests the formation of terminal and reactive Fe-oxo intermediates. With the possibility of intramolecular electron transfer within clusters in 1 and 5, different reaction pathways (Fe(IV)-oxo vs Fe(III)-oxo) might be responsible for the observed arene hydroxylation.

The Beauty of a Visualized Peroxo-diiron(III) Intermediate

Deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) and deoxyhypusine hydroxylase (DOHH) are essential for hypusination of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF-5A). In this issue, Han et al. use X-ray crystallograpy and UV/Vis and Mössbauer spectroscopy to provide insights into the fundamental mechanism of the hypusination of eIF-5A and a peroxo intermediate state.

Design and synthesis of a dinucleating ligand system with varying terminal donor functions that provides no bridging donor and its application to the synthesis of a series of FeIII–μ-O–FeIII complexes

We have developed the dinucleating ligands H₄julia, susan, and H₄hilde^Me2 and present their μ-oxo diferric complexes.

Toward the synthesis of more reactive S = 2 non-heme oxoiron(IV) complexes

2003 marked a banner year in the bioinorganic chemistry of mononuclear non-heme iron enzymes. The first non-heme oxoiron(IV) intermediate (called J) was trapped and characterized by Bollinger and Krebs in the catalytic cycle of taurine dioxygenase (TauD), and the first crystal structure of a synthetic non-heme oxoiron(IV) complex was reported by Münck, Nam, and Que. These results stimulated inorganic chemists to synthesize related oxoiron(IV) complexes to shed light on the electronic structures and spectroscopic properties of these novel intermediates and gain mechanistic insights into their function in biology. All of the biological oxoiron(IV) intermediates discovered since 2003 have an S = 2 ground spin state, while over 90% of the 60 or so synthetic oxoiron(IV) complexes reported to date have an S = 1 ground spin state. This difference in electronic structure has fueled an interest to more accurately model these enzymatic intermediates and synthesize S = 2 oxoiron(IV) complexes.

This Account follows up on a previous Account (Acc. Chem. Res. 2007, 40, 493) that provided a perspective on the early developments in this field up to 2007 and details our group’s efforts in the development of synthetic strategies to obtain oxoiron(IV) complexes with an S = 2 ground state. Upon inspection of a qualitative d-orbital splitting diagram for a d⁴ metal–oxo center, it becomes evident that the key to achieving an S = 2 ground state is to decrease the energy gap between the d_x²–y² and d_xy orbitals. Described below are two different synthetic strategies we used to accomplish this goal.

The first strategy took advantage of the realization that the d_x²–y² and d_xy orbitals become degenerate in a C₃-symmetric ligand environment. Thus, by employing bulky tripodal ligands, trigonal-bipyramidal S = 2 oxoiron(IV) complexes were obtained. However, substrate access to the oxoiron(IV) center was hindered by the bulky ligands, and the complexes showed limited ability to cleave substrate C–H bonds. The second strategy entailed introducing weaker-field equatorial ligands in six-coordinate oxoiron(IV) complexes to decrease the d_x²–y²/d_xy energy gap to the point where the S = 2 ground state is favored. These pseudo-octahedral S = 2 oxoiron(IV) complexes exhibit high H-atom transfer reactivity relative to their S = 1 counterparts and shed light on the role that the spin state may play in these reactions. Among these complexes is a highly reactive species that to date represents the closest electronic and functional model of the enzymatic intermediate, TauD-J.

Crystal Structure of the Peroxo-diiron(III) Intermediate of Deoxyhypusine Hydroxylase, an Oxygenase Involved in Hypusination

Deoxyhypusine hydroxylase (DOHH) is a non-heme diiron enzyme involved in the posttranslational modification of a critical lysine residue of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF-5A) to yield the unusual amino acid residue hypusine. This modification is essential for the role of eIF-5A in translation and in nuclear export of a group of specific mRNAs. The diiron center of human DOHH (hDOHH) forms a peroxo-diiron(III) intermediate (hDOHHperoxo) when its reduced form reacts with O2. hDOHHperoxo has a lifetime exceeding that of the peroxo intermediates of other diiron enzymes by several orders of magnitude. Here we report the 1.7-Å crystal structures of hDOHHperoxo and a complex with glycerol. The structure of hDOHHperoxo reveals the presence of a μ-1,2-peroxo-diiron(III) species at the active site. Augmented by UV/Vis and Mössbauer spectroscopic studies, the crystal structures offer explanations for the extreme longevity of hDOHHperoxo and illustrate how the enzyme specifically recognizes its only substrate, deoxyhypusine-eIF-5A.

Magnetic circular dichroism and computational study of mononuclear and dinuclear iron(IV) complexes

High-valent iron(IV)-oxo species are key intermediates in the catalytic cycles of a range of O2-activating iron enzymes. This work presents a detailed study of the electronic structures of mononuclear ([FeIV(O)(L)(NCMe)]2+, 1, L = tris(3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxylpyridyl-2-methyl)amine) and dinuclear ([(L)FeIV(O)(μ-O)FeIV(OH)(L)]3+, 2) iron(IV) complexes using absorption (ABS), magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy and wave-function-based quantum chemical calculations. For complex 1, the experimental MCD spectra at 2-10 K are dominated by a broad positive C-term band between 12000 and 18000 cm-1. As the temperature increases up to ~20 K, this feature is gradually replaced by a derivative-shaped signal. The computed MCD spectra are in excellent agreement with experiment, which reproduce not only the excitation energies and the MCD signs of key transitions but also their temperature-dependent intensity variations. To further corroborate the assignments suggested by the calculations, the individual MCD sign for each transition is independently determined from the corresponding electron donating and accepting orbitals. Thus, unambiguous assignments can be made for the observed transitions in 1. The ABS/MCD data of complex 2 exhibit ten features that are assigned as ligand-field transitions or oxo- or hydroxo-to-metal charge transfer bands, based on MCD/ABS intensity ratios, calculated excitation energies, polarizations, and MCD signs. In comparison with complex 1, the electronic structure of the FeIV=O site is not significantly perturbed by the binding to another iron(IV) center. This may explain the experimental finding that complexes 1 and 2 have similar reactivities toward C-H bond activation and O-atom transfer.

Identification of a low-spin acylperoxoiron(III) intermediate in bio-inspired non-heme iron-catalysed oxidations

Synthetically useful hydrocarbon oxidations are catalysed by bio-inspired non-heme iron complexes using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant, and carboxylic acid addition enhances their selectivity and catalytic efficiency. Talsi has identified a low-intensity g=2.7 electron paramagnetic resonance signal in such catalytic systems and attributed it to an oxoiron(V)-carboxylate oxidant. Herein we report the use of Fe(II)(TPA*) (TPA*=tris(3,5-dimethyl-4-methoxypyridyl-2-methyl)amine) to generate this intermediate in 50% yield, and have characterized it by ultraviolet-visible, resonance Raman, Mössbauer and electrospray ionization mass spectrometric methods as a low-spin acylperoxoiron(III) species. Kinetic studies show that this intermediate is not itself the oxidant but decays via a unimolecular rate-determining step to unmask a powerful oxidant. The latter is shown by density functional theory calculations to be an oxoiron(V) species that oxidises substrate without a barrier. This study provides a mechanistic scenario for understanding catalyst reactivity and selectivity as well as a basis for improving catalyst design.

Evidence for an oxygen evolving iron-oxo-cerium intermediate in iron-catalysed water oxidation

The non-haem iron complex α-[Fe(II)(CF3SO3)2(mcp)] (mcp=(N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,2-cis-diaminocyclohexane) reacts with Ce(IV) to oxidize water to O2, representing an iron-based functional model for the oxygen evolving complex of photosystem II. Here we trap an intermediate, characterized by cryospray ionization high resolution mass spectrometry and resonance Raman spectroscopy, and formulated as [(mcp)Fe(IV)(O)(μ-O)Ce(IV)(NO3)3](+), the first example of a well-characterized inner-sphere complex to be formed in cerium(IV)-mediated water oxidation. The identification of this reactive Fe(IV)-O-Ce(IV) adduct may open new pathways to validate mechanistic notions of an analogous Mn(V)-O-Ca(II) unit in the oxygen evolving complex that is responsible for carrying out the key O-O bond forming step.