Herein, we present three new binuclear copper(II) complexes containing different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, able to catalyze the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcathecol, a model substrate for catechol oxidase. The ligands and complexes were successful characterized in solid and solution states. The structure of C1 was determined by X-ray crystallography and it contains a [CuII2(L1-µ-phenoxo)(OAc)(H2O)2] unit, with two coppers in a pyramidal square geometry and a large distance of 3.715 Å between the copper(II) centers. All complexes (C1, C2 and C3) were found to be effective catalysts in the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcathecol to its quinone and C1 provided the highest catalytic constants at the three pH values studied. In addition to their potential use as a biomimetic catalyst in catechol oxidation, the interaction of these complexes with deoxyribonucleic acid from calf thymus (CT-DNA) was also studied, and C3 showed the greatest affinity with nucleic acids.

Currently, there is great interest in the study of water-soluble metal compounds capable of releasing carbon monoxide, due to their potential therapeutic use. This paper reports the synthesis, spectroscopic characteristics and CO release properties of three water-soluble manganese(I) carbonyl compounds [Mn(aaz)(CO)3]Br (1; where aaz = 6-amino-6-methylperhydro-1,4-diazepine), [Mn(Me2aaz)(CO)3]Br (2; where Me2aaz = 6-amino-1,4,6-trimethyl-1,4-diazacycloheptane) and [Mn(tacn)(CO)3]Br (3; where tacn = 1,4,7-triazacyclononane), that can act as photoCORMs (where CORM is carbon monoxide-releasing molecule). The main aim was to propose a mechanism for the CO release. Compounds 1-3 are capable of releasing carbon monoxide when exposed to light (λ385 and λ410) and thus, act as photoCORMs. The formation of a biscarbonyl intermediate was identified during the photo-release process at λ385 and the quantum yields and rates of CO release were determined. The proposed CO release mechanisms involve two steps, where photo and redox processes take place, and compounds 1 and 2 exhibit a slightly different mechanism from compound 3. A good understanding of the CO photo-release mechanism is very important with regard to the development of more efficient compounds, particularly those intended for medical applications.

Os estudos sobre enzimas têm mostrado que existe uma relação clara entre a evolução enzimática e a propriedade de promiscuidade catalítica que elas podem apresentar. Com isto, o desenvolvimento de sistemas biomiméticos capazes de atuar de modo promíscuo, de forma similar a algumas enzimas, mostrou-se um novo desafio para os químicos bioinorgânicos. Neste trabalho, reportamos a estrutura de raios X e os estudos em solução e de promiscuidade catalítica do complexo [(bpbpmp)FeIII(µ-OAc)2FeII](ClO4), (1), contendo o ligante binucleante não-simétrico 2-{[(2-hidroxibenzil)(2-piridilmetil)aminometil]-4-metil-6-[bis(2-piridilmetil)aminometil]}fenol (H2bpbpmp). Estudos de titulações potenciométrica e espectrofotométrica e cinéticos mostraram que esse composto de coordenação gera espécies ativas capazes de clivar o dsDNA (DNA de fita dupla) hidroliticamente, com um aumento de 1,9×10(8) na taxa de reação em comparação com a reação não catalisada, e capazes de oxidar o 3,5-di-terc-butilcatecol (3,5-dtbc), com k cat = 1,16 × 10-2 s-1 e K M = 7,1×10-4 mol L-1. Assim, o complexo 1 apresenta atividades de hidrolase e oxidoredutase, sendo um interessante modelo sintético para estudos de promiscuidade catalítica.

Catalytic promiscuity has emerged as an important property of many enzymes since the relationship of this property to enzymatic evolution became clear. Simultaneously, the development of suitable biomimetic catalytic systems capable of mimicking the promiscuous catalytic properties of such enzymes represents a new challenge for bioinorganic chemists. In this paper we report on the X-ray structure, the solution studies and the promiscuous catalytic activity of the mixed-valence complex [(bpbpmp)FeIII(µ-OAc)2FeII](ClO4), (1), containing the unsymmetrical dinucleating ligand 2-{[(2-hydroxybenzyl)(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl]-4-methyl-6-[bis(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl]}phenol (H2bpbpmp). Potentiometric and spectrophotometric titrations and kinetics studies showed that this coordination compound generates active species that promote hydrolytic cleavage of double strand DNA (dsDNA), with a rate enhancement of 1.9×10(8) over the non-catalyzed reaction, as well as promote oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (3,5-dtbc), with k cat = 1.16 × 10-2 s-1 and K M = 7.1×10-4 mol L-1. Thus, complex 1 shows both hydrolase and oxidoreductase activities and can be regarded as a man-made model for studying catalytic promiscuity.

Reportamos aqui a síntese e caracterização do ligante hexadentado H2L (N,N',N,N'-bis[(2-hidroxi-3,5-di-terc -butilbenzil)(2-piridilmetil)]etilenodiamino), como derivado adicional do bem conhecido pré-ligante H2bbpen, e que contém dois grupos fenolatos e dois grupos piridínicos conectados à unidade etilenodiamina. Os grupos fenolatos no pré-ligante H2L estão adequadamente protegidos por grupos substituintes volumosos (terc-butil) nas posições orto- e para-, a partir dos quais complexos contendo radicais fenoxil estáveis podem ser obtidos. Assim, sintetizamos quatro novos complexos mononucleares com MnIII, GaIII, InIII e FeIII, que através de oxidação eletroquímica produzem espécies fenoxil mono- ou di-oxidadas em solução. Estas espécies radicalares foram caracterizadas por espectroscopia UV-Vis e Ressonância Paramagnética Eletrônica e estudos eletroquímicos. Como esperado, no caso dos complexos de GaIII, InIII e FeIII, nenhum processo de oxidação centrado no metal foi observado. Entretanto, o complexo de manganês sofre processos de oxidação centrados tanto no metal quanto no ligante e conseqüentemente um complexo MnIV-radical fenoxil pode ser gerado em solução. As estruturas dos complexos [MnIII(L)]+ e [GaIII(L)]+ foram determinadas por análises de cristalografia de raios X, revelando complexos monocatiônicos com geometrias octaédricas distorcidas.

Reported herein are the synthesis and characterization of the hexadentate H2L pro-ligand (N,N',N,N'-bis[(2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert -butylbenzyl)(2-pyridylmethyl)]ethylenediamine), as a further derivative of the well known pro-ligand H2bbpen which contains two phenolate and two pyridyl pendant arms. The phenolate groups in H2L are suitably protected by bulky substituents (tert-butyl) in the ortho- and para- positions, from which stable phenoxyl radical complexes can be formed. Thus, we have synthesized four new mononuclear complexes with MnIII, GaIII, InIII and FeIII which through electrochemical oxidation generate one- and two-electron oxidized phenoxyl species in solution. These radical species were characterized by UV-Vis, Electronic Paramagnetic Resonance and electrochemical studies. As expected, in the case of the GaIII, InIII and FeIII complexes no metal-centered oxidation was observed. However, the manganese complex undergoes metal- and ligand-centered oxidation processes and therefore a phenoxyl radical-MnIV complex can be generated in solution. The crystal structures of the [MnIII(L)]+ and [GaIII(L)]+ complexes were determined by X-ray crystallographic analyses revealing monocationic complexes with distorted octahedral geometries.