The Difficult Marriage of Triarylcorroles with Zinc and Nickel Ions

The coordination chemistry of corrole has witnessed a great improvement in the past few years and its Periodic Table has been widened to be so large that it is compared with that of porphyrins. However, Ni and Zn ions, commonly used with porphyrins for both synthetic and theoretical purposes, are sparsely reported in the case of corroles. Here, we report synthetic protocols for preparing Ni and Zn triarylcorrole complexes. In the case of Zn, the preliminary oxidation of the free base corrole in DMSO to the neutral corrole radical is a necessary step to obtain the coordination of the metal ion, because the direct reaction led to the formation of an open-chain tetrapyrrole. The Ni complex could be directly obtained by heating the free base corrole and Ni(II) salt to 100 °C in a DMSO solution containing FeCl₃. The non-innocent nature of the corrole ligand for both complexes has been elucidated by EPR, and in the case of the Zn derivative the first spectroelectrochemical characterization is presented.

The oxidation of triarylcorrole to the corresponding neutral radical species in DMSO is a key step to allow the preparation of the corresponding Ni and Zn complexes. Without this step, the oxidative ring opening of the macrocycle occurs, leading to the formation of a linear tetrapyrrole. The spectroscopic characterization of these species indicates their radical character. The stability of the Zn complex can be improved by peripheral substitution.

Mn(iii)–porphyrin catalysts for the cycloaddition of CO2 with epoxides at atmospheric pressure: effects of Lewis acidity and ligand structure

Mn(iii)–porphyrin catalysts with electron-withdrawing substituents were designed to uncover electronic and structural aspects in the cycloaddition of CO₂ with epoxides.

Effect of fused indanedione (IND) groups and antipodal β-substituents on electrochemical properties of unsymmetrical metalloporphyrins

The interacting effect of fused indanedione (IND) groups and antipodal Br [Formula: see text]-substituents on the electroreduction of free-base and transition metal tetraphenylporphyrins (TPPs) are elucidated through the use of cyclic voltammetry. A systematic study of the reduction potentials for mono- and di-fused derivatives of MTPP(IND)(R)2 and MTPP(IND)2(R)2 where R = Br or H and M = Cu[Formula: see text], Ni[Formula: see text], Zn[Formula: see text] or H2 is carried out in pyridine containing 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAP) as supporting electrolyte and demonstrates how the overall electrochemical properties of these compounds can be tuned by systematic changes in the number of meso-[Formula: see text]fused IND groups on the molecule and the presence or absence of electron-withdrawing Br [Formula: see text]-substituents. Under these solution conditions, two reversible one-electron reductions are seen for H2TPP, while three reversible reductions are obtained for H2TPP(IND) or H2TPP(IND)Br2 and four for H2TPP(IND)2Br2. Multiple reductions also occur for the other investigated mono- and di-fused metalloporphyrins. Plots of measured [Formula: see text] values for the two ring-centered reductions of compounds in a given series vs. the number of fused IND groups are linear and with slopes varying in magnitude between 15 and 230 mV/IND depending upon the product of the electron transfer (anion radical or dianion), the specific central metal ion and the presence or absence of Br substituents on the pyrrole ring opposite the fused IND group(s). It is anticipated that the information from this study can be used for predicting the reduction potentials for yet to be synthesized compounds where a specific redox reactivity is desired.

Bromination of tetrapyrrolic scaffolds: a sustainable approach

A sustainable procedure developed for the bromination of organic substrates, such as olefins and small aromatic rings, has been applied to porphyrin derivatives.

Influence of β-octabromination on free-base triarylcorroles: Electrochemistry and protonation-deprotonation reactions in nonaqueous media

Electrochemical and acid-base properties of four free-base triarylcorroles were examined in nonaqueous media. These compounds are represented here as (tdcc)H[Formula: see text], (tpfc)H[Formula: see text], (Br[Formula: see text]tdcc)H[Formula: see text] and (Br[Formula: see text]tpfc)H[Formula: see text], where tdcc and tpfc are the trianions of tris(2,6-dichlorophenyl)corrole and tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole, respectively. Different spectroscopic and electrochemical properties were observed for the [Formula: see text]-brominated corroles as compared to the non-brominated derivatives, due in part to the corrole ring distortion and in part to the strong electron-withdrawing properties of the Br groups. The brominated free-base corroles are easier to deprotonate than the non-brominated corroles in solution, which was confirmed by electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry as well as protonation/deprotonation reactions of the compounds with acid or base in PhCN. The electrochemistry of the protonated and deprotonated corroles is presented and comparisons made with previously published data for other protonated and deprotonated free-base corroles under the same solution conditions.

Selective octabromination of tetraarylporphyrins based on meso-substituent identity: Structural and electrochemical studies

Synthesis and isolation of selectively brominated tetraarylporphyrin derivatives is reported. Treatment with bromine of meso-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)porphyrin (1) or meso-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3,5-di-[Formula: see text]-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)porphinatocopper(II) (2-Cu) yields products octabrominated at the 2,6-positions of meso-aryl substituents [5,10,15,20-tetrakis(2,6-dibromo-3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)porphyrin, [Formula: see text]Br81] or macrocyclic [Formula: see text]-positions. The latter of these ([Formula: see text]-brominated) was identified as the oxoporphyrinogen 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octabromo-5,10,15,20- tetrakis(3,5-di-[Formula: see text]-butyl-4-oxo-cyclohexa-2,5-dienylidene)porphyrinogen 3 obtained due to the adventitious oxidation and demetalation of 2-Cu, which could be alkylated at its macrocyclic nitrogen atoms yielding N[Formula: see text],N[Formula: see text],N[Formula: see text],N[Formula: see text]-tetrakis(4-bromobenzyl)-2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octabromo-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3,5-di-[Formula: see text]-butyl-4-oxo-cyclo hexa-2,5-dienylidene)porphyrinogen 4. The former compound [Formula: see text]Br81 was complexed with Zn(II) ([Formula: see text]Br81-Zn) or Cu(II) ([Formula: see text]Br81-Cu) and could also be subjected to further bromination yielding 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octabromo-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(2,6-dibromo-3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)porphyrin, Br[Formula: see text]1. The effect on the electrochemical properties of the 2,6-bromophenyl-substituted porphyrin compounds over the more highly brominated products was assessed.

Effect of bromination on the electrochemistry, frontier orbitals, and spectroscopy of metallocorroles

A series of fully β-pyrrole brominated triarylcorrole metal complexes has been prepared for investigating the changes in visible spectra and redox potentials relative to the non-brominated derivatives, as well as for comparing the effect of bromination in corroles and porphyrins. The results reveal that bromination has a much larger effect on the electrochemistry of metallocorroles relative to metalloporphyrins, for both macrocycle- and metal-centered redox processes. The HOMO–LUMO gap energy of the triarylcorrole post-transition metal complexes decreases upon bromination because the effect on the LUMO is about twice as large of as on the HOMO; and both the HOMO and the LUMO are more affected in corroles than in porphyrins. Spectroscopic examinations of the transition metal complexes reveal that the synthetic access to divalent metallocorroles becomes feasible for the brominated derivatives.

Meso-tetrakis(3',5'-di-substituted-phenyl)porphyrins: structural, electrochemical redox and axial ligation properties

A family of meta octa-substituted 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin derivatives and their metal ( Cu(II) and Zn(II) ) complexes were examined by electrochemical studies. These functionalized MTPPs exhibited a dramatic anodic shift (>200 mV ) in their first ring redox potentials relative to the para-phenyl substituted-MTPP(X) complexes and follow a fairly linear relationship with the Hammett parameter of the substituents. The extent of Lewis acidity of the core Zn(II) center in these porphyrins was probed by axial ligation of bases of varying pK a values. The increase in K eq values of the electron deficient Zn(II) porphyrins are as high as an order of magnitude and increase with anodic shift of the electrochemical redox potentials of the porphyrin. A crystal structure of the Zn(II) octa(carboxyethylester phenyl)porphyrin shows six-coordination geometry with the coordination through peripheral ester groups to form a supramolecular two-dimensional layer structure while the ZnT (3',5'- DMP ) P complex exhibited a five-coordinate structure.

Regioselective bromination of palladium tetraphenyltetrabenzoporphyrin to benzo-rings: Synthesis of mono- and octabromotetrabenzoporphyrins and their properties

Bromination of palladium meso-tetraphenyl tetrabenzoporphyrin ( Pd Ph4TBP, 1) by Me4NBr3 or Me4NBr/Br2 was shown to proceed regioselectively to the benzo-rings annelated to main porphyrin macrocycle. Conditions for preferential mono- and octa-bromination have been established. The respective mono- and octa-bromide ( Pd Ph4TBP( Br ), 2 and Pd Ph4TBP( Br )8, 3) have been isolated and characterized by UV-vis, NMR and LDI-TOF spectroscopy. Changes of electrochemical properties of tetrabenzoporphyrins induced by Br atoms were found to follow the same trends as the changes in analogous non-extended porphyrins. Room temperature phosphorescence is not substantially influenced by the substitution.

SOD-like activity of Mn(II) beta-octabromo-meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-3-yl)porphyrin equals that of the enzyme itself

Mn porphyrins are among the most efficient SOD mimics with potency approaching that of SOD enzymes. The most potent ones, Mn(III) N-alkylpyridylporphyrins bear positive charges in a close proximity to the metal site, affording thermodynamic and kinetic facilitation for the reaction with negatively charged superoxide. The addition of electron-withdrawing bromines onto beta-pyrrolic positions dramatically improves thermodynamic facilitation for the O2*- dismutation. We have previously characterized the para isomer, Mn(II)Br(8)TM-4-PyP(4+) [Mn(II) beta-octabromo-meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin]. Herein we fully characterized its meta analogue, Mn(II)Br(8)TM-3-PyP(4+) with respect to UV/vis spectroscopy, electron spray mass spectrometry, electrochemistry, O2*- dismutation, metal-ligand stability, and the ability to protect SOD-deficient Escherichia coli in comparison with its para analogue. The increased electron-deficiency of the metal center stabilizes Mn in its +2 oxidation state. The metal-centered Mn(III)/Mn(II) reduction potential, E((1/2))=+468 mV vs NHE, is increased by 416 mV with respect to non-brominated analogue, Mn(III)TM-3-PyP(5+) and is only 12 mV less positive than for para isomer. Yet, the complex is significantly more stable towards the loss of metal than its para analogue. As expected, based on the structure-activity relationships, an increase in E((1/2)) results in a higher catalytic rate constant for the O2*- dismutation, log k(cat)> or =8.85; 1.5-fold increase with respect to the para isomer. The IC(50) was calculated to be < or =3.7 nM. Manipulation of the electron-deficiency of a cationic porphyrin resulted, therefore, in the highest k(cat) ever reported for a metalloporphyrin, being essentially identical to the k(cat) of superoxide dismutases (log k(cat)=8.84-9.30). The positive kinetic salt effect points to the unexpected, unique and first time recorded behavior of Mn beta-octabrominated porphyrins when compared to other Mn porphyrins studied thus far. When species of opposing charges react, the increase in ionic strength invariably results in the decreased rate constant; with brominated porphyrins the opposite was found to be true. The effect is 3.5-fold greater with meta than with para isomer, which is discussed with respect to the closer proximity of the quaternary nitrogens of the meta isomer to the metal center than that of the para isomer. The potency of Mn(II)Br(8)TM-3-PyP(4+) was corroborated by in vivo studies, where 500 nM allows SOD-deficient E. coli to grow >60% of the growth of wild type; at concentrations > or =5 microM it exhibits toxicity. Our work shows that exceptionally high k(cat) for the O2*- disproportionation can be achieved not only with an N(5)-type coordination motif, as rationalized previously for aza crown ether (cyclic polyamines) complexes, but also with a N(4)-type motif as in the Mn porphyrin case; both motifs sharing "up-down-up-down" steric arrangement.

Impact of electrostatics in redox modulation of oxidative stress by Mn porphyrins: protection of SOD-deficient Escherichia coli via alternative mechanism where Mn porphyrin acts as a Mn carrier

Understanding the factors that determine the ability of Mn porphyrins to scavenge reactive species is essential for tuning their in vivo efficacy. We present herein the revised structure-activity relationships accounting for the critical importance of electrostatics in the Mn porphyrin-based redox modulation systems and show that the design of effective SOD mimics (per se) based on anionic porphyrins is greatly hindered by inappropriate electrostatics. A new strategy for the beta-octabromination of the prototypical anionic Mn porphyrins Mn(III) meso-tetrakis(p-carboxylatophenyl)porphyrin ([Mn(III)TCPP](3-) or MnTBAP(3-)) and Mn(III) meso-tetrakis(p-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin ([Mn(III)TSPP](3-)), to yield the corresponding anionic analogues [Mn(III)Br(8)TCPP](3-) and [Mn(III)Br(8)TSPP](3-), respectively, is described along with characterization data, stability studies, and their ability to substitute for SOD in SOD-deficient Escherichia coli. Despite the Mn(III)/Mn(II) reduction potential of [Mn(III)Br(8)TCPP](3-) and [Mn(III)Br(8)TSPP](3-) being close to the SOD-enzyme optimum and nearly identical to that of the cationic Mn(III) meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-2-yl)porphyrin (Mn(III)TM-2-PyP(5+)), the SOD activity of both anionic brominated porphyrins ([Mn(III)Br(8)TCPP](3-), E(1/2)=+213 mV vs NHE, log k(cat)=5.07; [Mn(III)Br(8)TSPP](3-), E(1/2)=+209 mV, log k(cat)=5.56) is considerably lower than that of Mn(III)TM-2-PyP(5+) (E(1/2)=+220 mV, log k(cat)=7.79). This illustrates the impact of electrostatic guidance of O(2)(-) toward the metal center of the mimic. With low k(cat), the [Mn(III)TCPP](3-), [Mn(III)TSPP](3-), and [Mn(III)Br(8)TCPP](3-) did not rescue SOD-deficient E. coli. The striking ability of [Mn(III)Br(8)TSPP](3-) to substitute for the SOD enzymes in the E. coli model does not correlate with its log k(cat). In fact, the protectiveness of [Mn(III)Br(8)TSPP](3-) is comparable to or better than that of the potent SOD mimic Mn(III)TM-2-PyP(5+), even though the dismutation rate constant of the anionic complex is 170-fold smaller. Analyses of the medium and E. coli cell extract revealed that the major species in the [Mn(III)Br(8)TSPP](3-) system is not the Mn complex, but the free-base porphyrin [H(2)Br(8)TSPP](4-) instead. Control experiments with extracellular MnCl(2) showed the lack of E. coli protection, indicating that "free" Mn(2+) cannot enter the cell to a significant extent. We proposed herein the alternative mechanism where a labile Mn porphyrin [Mn(III)Br(8)TSPP](3-) is not an SOD mimic per se but carries Mn into the E. coli cell.

Iridium corroles

This work reports the synthesis and full characterization of 5,10,15-tris-pentafluorophenylcorrolato-iridium(III) bis-trimethylamine 1 and its octabromo derivative 2. The corrole is planar in both cases (the mean deviation from the plane is as low as 0.0371 A for 1 and 0.0325 A for 2), the UV-vis spectra display a split Soret band with a shoulder attributable to an MLCT transition, and cyclic voltammetry reveals that the iridium(II) oxidation state cannot be accessed, while the oxidation to formal iridium(IV) complexes is achieved at much lower potentials than in other coordination environments.

Redox modulation of oxidative stress by Mn porphyrin-based therapeutics: the effect of charge distribution

We evaluate herein the impact of positive charge distribution on the in vitro and in vivo properties of Mn porphyrins as redox modulators possessing the same overall 5+ charge and of minimal stericity demand: Mn(III) meso-tetrakis(trimethylanilinium-4-yl)porphyrin (MnTTriMAP(5+)), Mn(III) meso-tetrakis(N,N'-dimethylpyrazolium-4-yl)porphyrin (MnTDM-4-PzP(5+)), Mn(III) meso-tetrakis(N,N'-dimethylimidazolium-2-yl)porphyrin (MnTDM-2-ImP(5+)), and the ortho and para methylpyridinium complexes Mn(III) meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin (MnTM-4-PyP(5+)) and Mn(III) meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-2-yl)porphyrin (MnTM-2-PyP(5+)). Both Mn(III)/Mn(II) reduction potential and SOD activity within the series follow the order: MnTTriMAP(5+)<MnTDM-4-PzP(5+)<MnTM-4-PyP(5+)<MnTM-2-PyP(5+)<MnTDM-2-ImP(5+). The kinetic salt effect (KSE) on the catalytic rate constant for superoxide dismutation (k(cat)) indicates that the electrostatic contribution to the O(2)*(-) dismutation is the greatest with MnTM-2-PyP(5+) and follows the order: MnTM-4-PyP(5+)<MnTDM-4-PzP(5+) approximately MnTDM-2-ImP(5+)<MnTM-2-PyP(5+). The KSE observed on k(cat) suggests that the charges are relatively confined within specific regions of the aryl rings. Whereas the charges in imidazolium, pyrazolium, and MnTM-4-PyP(5+) compounds are distributed in-plane with the porphyrin ring, the charges of MnTM-2-PyP(5+) are either above or below the plane, which channels the negatively-charged superoxide toward the axial positions of the Mn porphyrin more efficiently, and leads to the highest KSE. This mimics the tunneling effect observed in the SOD enzymes themselves. The modulation of the reactivity of the Mn center by the electronic perturbations caused by the meso-aryl substituent could be explained by DFT calculation, whereby a correlation between the Mn(III)/Mn(II) reduction potential (and/or SOD activity) and meso-aryl fragment softness descriptors for nucleophilic (s(f)(+)) and radical (s(f)(o)) attacks was observed. MnTDM-4-PzP(5+) and MnTM-4-PyP(5+) did not protect SOD-deficient E. coli grown aerobically, which is in agreement with their low k(cat). MnTM-2-PyP(5+) and MnTDM-2-ImP(5+) have similar high k(cat), but MnTDM-2-ImP(5+) was significantly less protective to E. coli, probably due to its bulkier size, decreased cellular uptake, and/or observed toxicity. The placement of charges closer to the metal center and spatial charge localization increases both the in vitro and the in vivo SOD activity of the compound.