The electronic structure of Fe2+ in reaction centers from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. I. Static magnetization measurements.

We have measured the static magnetization of unreduced and reduced reaction centers that vary in their quinone content. Measurements were performed in the temperature range 0.7 degrees K less than T less than 200 degrees K and magnetic fields of up to 10 kG. The electronic g-value, crystal field parameters D, E, and the exchange interaction, J, between the quinone spin and Fe2+ were determined using the spin Hamiltonian formalism. The effective moment mu eff/Fe2+ of both reduced and unreduced samples were determined to be 5.35 +/- 0.15 Bohr magnetons. This shows, in agreement with previous findings, that Fe2+ does not change its valence state when the reaction centers are reduced. Typical values of D congruent to +5 cm-1 and E/D congruent to 0.27 are consistent with Fe being in an octahedral environment with rhombic distortion. The values of D and E were approximately the same for reaction centers having one and two quinones. These findings imply that quinone is most likely not a ligand of Fe. The Fe2+ and the spin on the quinone in reduced reaction centers were found to be coupled with an exchange interaction 0 less than /J/ less than 1 cm-1. The validity of the spin Hamiltonian was checked by using an orbital Hamiltonian to calculate energy levels of the 25 states of the S = 2, L = 2 manifold and comparing the magnetization of the lowest five states with those obtained from the spin Hamiltonian. Using the orbital Hamiltonian, we calculated the position of the first excited quintet state to be 340 cm-1 above the ground state quintet. This is in good agreement with the temperature dependence of the quadrupole splitting as determined by Mossbauer spectroscopy.     

F+ tunable laser activity and interaction of atomic halogens (F,Cl and Br) at the low coordinated surface sites of SrOAb initio and DFT calculations

The twofold potential of F+ color centers at the low coordinated surfaces of SrO for providing tunable laser activity and adsorption properties for atomic halogens (F, Cl and Br) has been investigated using ab initio electronic structure calculations. SrO clusters of variable sizes were embedded in simulated Coulomb fields that closely approximate the Madelung fields of the host surfaces and the nearest neighbor ions to F+ were allowed to relax to equilibrium. Based on Stokes shifted optical transition bands and horizontal shifts along the configuration coordinate diagrams, the F+ laser activity was found to decrease as the coordination number of the surface ions decreases from 5 (flat) to 4 (edge) to 3 (corner). An attempt has been made to explain this result in terms of Madelung potentials and optical-optical conversion efficiencies. All relaxed excited states are deep below the conduction bands of the perfect ground states, implying that F+ is a laser-suitable defect. The most laser active flat surface is the least probable for relaxed excited state orientational destruction of F+. The excited state at the edge has the highest energy, implying exciton (energy) transfer to the flat and edge sites. F+ relaxation and defect-formation energies increase with increasing surface coordination number. The Glasner-Tompkins relation between the fundamental optical absorption of F+ in solids and the fundamental absorption of the host crystals can be generalized to include the low coordinated surfaces of SrO. The F+ color center changes the nature of halogen-surface interaction (adsorption energies) from physical adsorption to chemical adsorption. The halogen-surface interactions increase with increasing electronegativity of the halogen. The calculated adsorption energies can be explained in terms of surface electrostatic potentials, and the covalent spin pairing mechanism plays a dominant role in determining adsorbate-substrate interactions.     

Unifying principles in homodimeric type I photosynthetic reaction centers: properties of PscB and the FA, FB and FX iron-sulfur clusters in green sulfur bacteria

The photosynthetic reaction center from the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobium tepidum (CbRC) was solubilized from membranes using Triton X-100 and isolated by sucrose density ultra-centrifugation. The CbRC complexes were subsequently treated with 0.5 M NaCl and ultrafiltered over a 100 kDa cutoff membrane. The resulting CbRC cores did not exhibit the low-temperature EPR resonances from FA- and FB- and were unable to reduce NADP+. SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometric analysis showed that the PscB subunit, which harbors the FA and FB clusters, had become dissociated, and was now present in the filtrate. Attempts to rebind PscB onto CbRC cores were unsuccessful. M?ssbauer spectroscopy showed that recombinant PscB contains a heterogeneous mixture of [4Fe-4S]2+,1+ and other types of Fe/S clusters tentatively identified as [2Fe-2S]2+,1+ clusters and rubredoxin-like Fe3+,2+ centers, and that the [4Fe-4S]2+,1+ clusters which were present were degraded at high ionic strength. Quantitative analysis confirmed that the amount of iron and sulfide in the recombinant protein was sub-stoichiometric. A heme-staining assay indicated that cytochrome c551 remained firmly attached to the CbRC cores. Low-temperature EPR spectroscopy of photoaccumulated CbRC complexes and CbRC cores showed resonances between g=5.4 and 4.4 assigned to a S=3/2 ground spin state [4Fe-4S]1+ cluster and at g=1.77 assigned to a S=1/2 ground spin state [4Fe-4S]1+ cluster, both from FX-. These results unify the properties of the acceptor side of the Type I homodimeric reaction centers found in green sulfur bacteria and heliobacteria: in both, the FA and FB iron-sulfur clusters are present on a salt-dissociable subunit, and FX is present as an interpolypeptide [4Fe-4S]2+,1+ cluster with a significant population in a S=3/2 ground spin state.     

Crystal structures and coordination-site exchange reactions of palladium(II) and platinum(II) complexes containing tris[2-(tert-butylthio)ethyl]amine

Palladium(II) and platinum(II) complexes, [PdX(NS₃ ¹Bu)]BPh₄ (X=Cl, Br, I; NS₃ ¹Bu=tris[2-(tert-butylthio)ethyl]amine) and [PtCl(NS₃ ¹Bu)]BPh₄, were prepared, and their structures were determined by X-ray analyses. The geometry around the palladium and platinum atoms is square planar. The NS₃ ¹Bu ligand functions as a tridentate ligand and one sulfur atom is not coordinated to the metal. The ¹H NMR spectrum of [PdCl(NS₃ ¹Bu)]BPh₄ in acetone-d₆ exhibited a dynamic behavior. At 20°C the spectrum showed a singlet signal at 1.60 ppm that can be assigned to tert-butyl protons, whereas at −70°C three singlet signals were observed at 1.36, 1.61, and 1.70 ppm with an intensity ratio of 1: 0.25: 2. The signals at 1.36 and 1.70 ppm are assigned to the tert-butyl protons in the square-planar structure, and these signals are consistent with the X-ray structure. The signal at 1.61 ppm can be assigned to the tert-butyl protons in a trigonal-bipyramidal structure where the three tert-butyl groups are magnetically equivalent. Thus, we concluded that the coordination-site exchange occurred via a trigonal-bipyramidal intermediate. The square-planar and trigonal-bipyramidal species of [PdCl(NS₃ ¹Bu)]BPh₄ are in equilibrium in acetone-d₆. The equilibrium was shifted toward the square-planar species on decreasing the temperature. The ¹H NMR spectra for [PdX(NS₃ ¹Bu)]BPh₄ (X=Cl, Br, and I) were similar to one another at the same temperature, suggesting that the site-exchange process is insensitive to the kind of coexisting halogen ligand. The site exchange reaction of [PtCl(NS₃ ¹Bu)]BPh₄ seems to occur more slowly than that of the palladium(II) analogue.     

Filamentation of Escherichia coli K12 elicited by some monomeric, dimeric and trimeric complexes of ruthenium in various oxidation states

A number of ruthenium complexes were tested for their ability to induce filamentation in Escherichia coli. These included monomeric and dimeric complexes with ruthenium in the II or III oxidation states, as well as mixed-valence complexes with ruthenium in the (II,III) oxidation states. In general, dimeric mixed-valence Ru(II,III) complexes were the most active class of compound, although some complexes of this type were relatively inactive. These were pyrazine- or bipyridyl-bridged complexes which are known to involve strong metal-ligand interaction, which stabilizes the Ru(II) oxidation state. Some Ru(III) complexes were also significantly active in induction of filamentous growth in E. coli. One of these was [Ru(NH3)5Cl]Cl2, which did not inhibit electron transport, Mg2+-ATPase activity or DNA synthesis in E. coli, but like [Ru2(NH3)6Br3]Br2 X H2O was a potent inhibitor of respiration-driven calcium transport in the organism. Filament-inducing activity of the complex was reduced in the presence of NaCl, but not in the presence of added Ca2+, ethanol, calcium pantothenate, or E. coli 'division promoting extract'. This behaviour is also similar to that of [Ru2(NH3)6Br3]Br2 X H2O. It is suggested that both complexes may induce filamentation in E. coli by a common mechanism, which may involve interference with calcium metabolism, or a wall or membrane target, rather than interaction with DNA.     

How O2 binds to heme: reasons for rapid binding and spin inversion

We have used density functional methods to calculate fully relaxed potential energy curves of the seven lowest electronic states during the binding of O(2) to a realistic model of ferrous deoxyheme. Beyond a Fe-O distance of approximately 2.5 A, we find a broad crossing region with five electronic states within 15 kJ/mol. The almost parallel surfaces strongly facilitate spin inversion, which is necessary in the reaction of O(2) with heme (deoxyheme is a quintet and O(2) a triplet, whereas oxyheme is a singlet). Thus, despite a small spin-orbit coupling in heme, the transition probability approaches unity. Using reasonable parameters, we estimate a transition probability of 0.06-1, which is at least 15 times larger than for the nonbiological Fe-O(+) system. Spin crossing is anticipated between the singlet ground state of bound oxyheme, the triplet and septet dissociation states, and a quintet intermediate state. The fact that the quintet state is close in energy to the dissociation couple is of biological importance, because it explains how both spin states of O(2) may bind to heme, thereby increasing the overall efficiency of oxygen binding. The activation barrier is estimated to be <15 kJ/mol based on our results and M?ssbauer experiments. Our results indicate that both the activation energy and the spin-transition probability are tuned by the porphyrin as well as by the choice of the proximal heme ligand, which is a histidine in the globins. Together, they may accelerate O(2) binding to iron by approximately 10(11) compared with the Fe-O(+) system. A similar near degeneracy between spin states is observed in a ferric deoxyheme model with the histidine ligand hydrogen bonded to a carboxylate group, i.e. a model of heme peroxidases, which bind H(2)O(2) in this oxidation state.     

Photophysical behavior and intramolecular energy transfer in Os(II) diimine complexes covalently linked to anthracene.

The photophysical behavior of two Os(II) complexes having a bipyridine ligand with anthracene attached directly to the bipyridine (4-(9-anthryl)-2,2'-bipyridine, bpy-AN) is reported. The two complexes [(bpy)2Os(bpy-AN)]2+ and [(bpy-AN)2Os(CO)Br]+ have (3)MLCT excited states that differ in energy by less than 800 cm(-1). Despite this fact, the observed photophysical behavior of the two complexes is entirely different. The complex with the higher energy 3MCLT state, [(bpy-AN)2Os(CO)Br]+, is nonemissive at room temperature, but has a long lived excited state that is localized on the 3(pi-pi*) state of the anthracene substituent. The other complex, [(bpy)2Os(bpy-AN)]2+, exhibits emission at room temperature and has a transient absorption spectrum that is consistent with a localized 3MLCT state. The excited state decay behavior of the two complexes can be fit well assuming a model in which noninteracting 3MLCT and 3(pi-pi*) states are in equilibrium.     

An experimental and theoretical approach to 5alpha-cholestan-6-spiro-1',2',4'-triazolidine-3'-one

The 5alpha-cholestan-6-one semicarbazone (1) on reaction with hydrogen peroxide at 0 degrees C affords selectively 5alpha-cholestan-6-spiro-1',2',4'-triazolidine-3'-one. (2) The structural assignment of the product was confirmed on the basis of its elemental, analytical and spectral analysis. The Hartree-Fock method using 6-31G* basis set was employed in order to explore the reaction mechanism. The results of the computational study show that the reaction proceeds through two radical intermediates formation. The different characteristics involved during the reaction were explained, firstly, the lower energy conformation of each molecule using total energy, hardness and dipole moment, and secondly, the explanation of the free radical mechanism, using frontier molecular orbital (FMO) theory, encoded electrostatic potential, spin electronic density and atomic charges. The localization of highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) or alpha-HOMO, lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) or alpha-LUMO and the flow of atomic charges are in good agreement to support the present mechanism of the reaction. Stability and feasibility of all the optimized structures were supported by their respective fundamental frequencies and energy minima.     

Biosynthetic exchange of bromide for chloride and strontium for calcium in the photosystem II oxygen-evolving enzymes

The active site for water oxidation in photosystem II goes through five sequential oxidation states (S(0) to S(4)) before O(2) is evolved. It consists of a Mn(4)Ca cluster close to a redox-active tyrosine residue (Tyr(Z)). Cl(-) is also required for enzyme activity. To study the role of Ca(2+) and Cl(-) in PSII, these ions were biosynthetically substituted by Sr(2+) and Br(-), respectively, in the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus. Irrespective of the combination of the non-native ions used (Ca/Br, Sr/Cl, Sr/Br), the enzyme could be isolated in a state that was fully intact but kinetically limited. The electron transfer steps affected by the exchanges were identified and then investigated by using time-resolved UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, time-resolved O(2) polarography, and thermoluminescence spectroscopy. The effect of the Ca(2+)/Sr(2+) and Cl(-)/Br(-) exchanges was additive, and the magnitude of the effect varied in the following order: Ca/Cl < Ca/Br < Sr/Cl < Sr/Br. In all cases, the rate of O(2) release was similar to that of the S(3)Tyr(Z)(.) to S(0)Tyr(Z) transition, with the slowest kinetics (i.e. the Sr/Br enzyme) being approximately 6-7 slower than in the native Ca/Cl enzyme. This slowdown in the kinetics was reflected in a decrease in the free energy level of the S(3) state as manifest by thermoluminescence. These observations indicate that Cl(-) is involved in the water oxidation mechanism. The possibility that Cl(-) is close to the active site is discussed in terms of recent structural models.     

Synthesis, structure, and hydrolytic reaction of trans-dichlorobis(diethanolamine-N)palladium(II) with N-acetylated L-histidylglycine dipeptide

The reaction of PdCl2, or K2PdCl4, with diethanolamine (DEA), in the molar ratio 1:2, affords the trans-[PdCl2(DEA)2] complex. X-ray structure analysis of this complex confirmed the formation of the trans-isomer. The complex crystallizes in the space group P42bc. The central Pd(II) ion is coordinated in an almost ideal square-planar fashion with a small deformation of the Cl-Pd-Cl angle (175.6(7) degrees) due to N-H...Cl hydrogen bonding. The N-H group participates in a bifurcated interaction with the two symmetry related Cl- anions. The hydroxyl groups of the diethanolamine ligand form very strong hydrogen bonds between the complex units, thus leading to infinite zigzag (O-H...O-H...O-H..) chains in the crystal packing. The complex units are further connected by weaker intermolecular hydrogen bonds of the N-H...Cl type in a way to form layers parallel to the crystallographic (001) plane. The reaction between the trans-[PdCl2(DEA)2] or trans-[Pd(H2O)2(DEA)2]2+ complex and MeCOHis-Gly dipeptide at 1.5 < pH < 2.0 and at 25 degrees C leads to the regioselective cleavage of the amide bond involving the carboxylic group of the histidine. The cleavage of the substrate was fast and went almost to completion within less than one hour.     

Photochemical reactions of triplet p-phenylbenzyl derivatives studied by using laser flash triplet-sensitization techniques.

Photochemical properties in the triplet states of p-phenylbenzyl derivatives (PBX; X = H, Cl, Br, OH or SH) were investigated by using laser photolysis techniques of triplet-acetone sensitization. Beta-bond dissociation of triplet phenylbenzyl mercaptan (X = SH) was shown for the first time while formation of triplet states were seen for phenyl toluene and phenylbenzyl alcohol by triplet energy transfer. Beta-bond cleavage was absent for halide compounds (X = Cl and Br) upon sensitization because of the short triplet lifetimes due to a heavy atom effect. The reactivity for beta-bond cleavage was interpreted in terms of difference in the bond enthalpy, D(C-X), relative to the triplet energies.     

Triplet-state conformational changes in 15-cis-spheroidene bound to the reaction center from Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1 as revealed by time-resolved EPR spectroscopy: strengthened hypothetical mechanism of triplet-energy dissipation

Time-resolved EPR spectra of 15-cis-spheroidene bound to the reaction center from Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1 were recorded at low temperatures. (1) A three-component analysis of the spectral-data matrices by singular-value decomposition followed by global fitting identified the transformation of the triplet carotenoid, (3)Car(I) --> (3)Car(II); during this process, the leak of the triplet population was suggested. A four-component analysis suggested the presence of a representative intermediate, (3)Car(R), that forms a leak channel of the triplet population. (2) A theoretical calculation of the zero-field splitting parameters, |D| and |E|, by the use of a polyene model, showed that the transformation, (3)Car(I) --> (3)Car(R) --> (3)Car(II), accompanies the conformational changes of (0 degrees , 0 degrees , 0 degrees ) --> (+20 degrees , -20 degrees , +20 degrees ) --> (+45 degrees , -40 degrees , +40 degrees ) around the central cis C15=C15', trans C13=C14, and trans C11=C12 bonds, respectively. (3) The initial, rapid decrease followed by the inversion of spin polarization along the z axis of (3)Car was observed, which was correlated with a change in the spin angular momentum. (4) In reference to the binding pocket of the Car, determined by X-ray crystallography, the conformational changes were ascribed to the intrinsic isomerization property of 15-cis (3)Car as well as the Car-peptide intermolecular interaction; a detailed picture was proposed. All of the above results support the mechanism of triplet-energy dissipation proposed previously: the rotational motions around the central double bonds cause a change in the orbital angular momentum and, through the spin-orbit coupling, a change in the spin angular momentum, which enhances the T(1) --> S(0) intersystem crossing dissipating the triplet energy.     

Hydration of carbon dioxide by carbonic anhydrase: internal proton transfer of Zn2+-bound HCO3-

Proton transfer within HCO3- has been examined under various conditions through molecular orbital methods: partial retention of diatomic differential overlap and 4-31G self-consistent field programs. These conditions include the absence or presence of Zn2+, Zn2+(NH3)3, or a water ligand on Zn2+. In addition, 4-31G+ and some MP2/4-31G results are obtained. The use of Be2+ to simulate Zn2+ reproduces reaction pathways and energy barriers, except for marginal cases. The barrier of 35.6 kcal/mol for direct internal proton transfer is reduced to 3.5 kcal/mol when one water molecule, not bound to Zn2+, is included for proton relay and to 1.4 kcal/mol when two such water molecules are included. In the enzyme, either Thr-199 or solvent molecules could perform this relay function. Our results favor this facilitated proton transfer over a mechanism in which Zn2+-bound OH- attacks CO2, a bidentate intermediate forms, and the OH moiety of the resulting HCO3- dissociates from Zn2+, thus leaving one of the oxygens of the original CO2 as a ligand to Zn2+.     

Structure optimization of the two-dimensional off-lattice hydrophobic–hydrophilic model

A two-dimensional off-lattice protein model with two species of monomers, hydrophobic and hydrophilic, was studied. Low-energy configurations in the model were optimized using the improved energy landscape paving (ELP+) method. In ELP+, the energy landscape paving (ELP) was first applied to search for the low-energy states. After the ELP led to the basins of the local energy minima, the additional degree-of-freedom of bond length was introduced, and the gradient descent method was then used to search for lower energy states near the local minima. Numerical results show that the proposed methods are quite effective for finding the ground states of proteins. A comparison between ELP+ and other methods is made.     

A comparison of the reaction mechanisms of iron- and manganese-containing 2,3-HPCD: an important spin transition for manganese

Homoprotocatechuate (HPCA) dioxygenases are enzymes that take part in the catabolism of aromatic compounds in the environment. They use molecular oxygen to perform the ring cleavage of ortho-dihydroxylated aromatic compounds. A theoretical investigation of the catalytic cycle for HPCA 2,3-dioxygenase isolated from Brevibacterium fuscum (Bf 2,3-HPCD) was performed using hybrid DFT with the B3LYP functional, and a reaction mechanism is suggested. Models of different sizes were built from the crystal structure of the enzyme and were used in the search for intermediates and transition states. It was found that the enzyme follows a reaction pathway similar to that for other non-heme iron dioxygenases, and for the manganese-dependent analog MndD, although with different energetics. The computational results suggest that the rate-limiting step for the whole reaction of Bf 2,3-HPCD is the protonation of the activated oxygen, with an energy barrier of 17.4 kcal/mol, in good agreement with the experimental value of 16 kcal/mol obtained from the overall rate of the reaction. Surprisingly, a very low barrier was found for the O-O bond cleavage step, 11.3 kcal/mol, as compared to 21.8 kcal/mol for MndD (sextet spin state). This result motivated additional studies of the manganese-dependent enzyme. Different spin coupling between the unpaired electrons on the metal and on the evolving substrate radical was observed for the two enzymes, and therefore the quartet spin state potential energy surface of the MndD reaction was studied. The calculations show a crossing between the sextet and the quartet surfaces, and it was concluded that a spin transition occurs and determines a barrier of 14.4 kcal/mol for the O-O bond cleavage, which is found to be the rate-limiting step in MndD. Thus the two 83% identical enzymes, using different metal ions as co-factors, were found to have similar activation energies (in agreement with experiment), but different rate-limiting steps.     

Singlet-triplet excitation fission in light-harvesting complexes of photosynthetic bacteria and in isolated carotenoids

Time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance was used to study the properties of carotenoid triplet states populated in LH2 light-harvesting complexes of phototrophic bacteria Allochromatium minutissimum, Rhodopseudomonas palustris, and in carotenoid films free of bacteriochlorophyll. The study was performed on purified LH2 preparations not contaminated by reaction centers, and under selective pigment excitation. The obtained results enable a conclusion that the carotenoid triplet states, both in LH2 complexes and films, are populated in the process of homofission of singlet excitation into two triplets, which involves only carotenoid molecules. It is observed that the fission process in magnetic field leads to predominant population of the T₀ spin sublevel of the triplet. One molecular spin sublevel of the triplet is demonstrated to possess an increased probability of intersystem crossing to the ground state, independent of the carotenoid configuration. Pigment composition of the LH2 protein heterodimers is discussed, and a conclusion of the possible presence of two interacting carotenoid molecules is made.     

Characterization of the low-temperature intermediates of the reaction of fully reduced soluble cytochrome oxidase with oxygen by electron-paramagnetic-resonance and optical spectroscopy.

The reaction of fully reduced soluble bovine heart cytochrome oxidase with O2 at 173K was investigated by low-temperature optical and e.p.r. spectroscopy, and the kinetics of the reaction were analysed by non-linear optimization techniques. The only e.p.r. signals seen during the course of the reaction are those attributable to low-spin cytochrome a3+ and CuA2+. Quantitative analysis of e.p.r. signals shows that, at the end point of the reaction at 173K, nearly 100% of CuA is in the cupric state but only about 40% of cytochrome a is in the ferric low-spin state. The optical spectra recorded at this stage of the reaction show incomplete oxidation of haem and the absence of a 655 nm absorption band. The only reaction scheme that accounts for both the e.p.r. and optical data is a four-intermediate mechanism involving a branching pathway. The reaction is initiated when fully reduced cytochrome oxidase reacts with O2 to form intermediate I. This is then converted into either intermediate IIA or intermediate IIB. Of these, intermediate IIB is a stable end product at 173 K, but intermediate IIA is converted into intermediate III, which is the stable state at 173 K in this branch of the mechanism. The kinetic analysis of the e.p.r. data allows the unambiguous assignments of the valence states of cytochrome a and CuA in the intermediates. Intermediate I contains cytochrome a2+ and CuA+, intermediate IIA contains low-spin cytochroma a3+ and CuA+, intermediate IIB contains cytochrome a2+ and CuA2+, and intermediate III contains low-spin cytochrome a3+ and CuA2+. The electronic state of the O2-binding CuBa3 couple during the reoxidation of cytochrome oxidase is discussed in terms of an integrated structure containing CuB, cytochrome a3 and O2.     

The relationship of some copper (II) complexes of facultative tetrathioethers to the coordination environment in the "blue" copper proteins

The facultative potentially tetradentate thioether ligands 1,2-bis(methylthioethylthio)ethane (2,2,2), 1,3-bis(2-methylthioethylthio)propane (2,3,2) and 1,2-bis(3-methylthiopropylthio)ethane (3,2,3) react with copper(II) salts to form Cu2(2,2,2)Cl4, Cu3(ligand)X6 (ligand = 2,3,2 and 3,2,3 X = Cl; ligand = 2,2,2 2,3,2 and 3,2,3 X = Br), and Cu(ligand)(ClO4)2. The stoichiometry and structures of these complexes are discussed in terms of the steric demands of the ligand and the nature of the halide. The [Cu(2,3,2)(ClO4)] ClO4 and [Cu(3,2,3)(ClO4) [ClO4 complexes have electronic spectra which exhibit the intense 600 nm band characteristic of the "blue" copper proteins. In fact, the spectrum of [Cu(2,3,2)(ClO4)]ClO4 is very similar to that of pseudomonas aeroginosa azurin.     

Oxygen-based free radical generation by ferrous ions and deferoxamine

Deferoxamine accelerates the autooxidation of iron as measured by the rapid disappearance of Fe2+, the associated appearance of Fe3+, and the uptake of oxygen. Protons are released in the reaction. The formation of H2O2 was detected by the horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of scopoletin, and the formation of hydroxyl radicals (OH.) was suggested by the formation of the OH. spin trap adduct (DMPO/OH). with the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) and the generation of the methyl radical adduct on the further addition of dimethyl sulfoxide. (DMPO/OH). adduct formation was inhibited by catalase but not by superoxide dismutase. The oxidant formed converted iodide to a trichloroacetic acid-precipitable form (iodination) and was bactericidal to logarithmic phase Escherichia coli. Both iodination and bactericidal activity was inhibited by catalase and by OH. scavengers, but not by superoxide dismutase. Iodination was optimal in 5 x 10(-4) M acetate buffer, pH 5.0, and when the Fe2+ and deferoxamine concentrations were equimolar at 10(-4) M. Fe2+ could not be replaced by Fe3+, Co2+, Zn2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, or Mn2+, or deferoxamine by EDTA, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, or bathophenanthroline. These findings indicate that Fe2+ and deferoxamine can act as an oxygen radical generating system, which may contribute to its biological effects in vitro and in vivo.     

The anomeric effect revisited. A possible role of the CH/n hydrogen bond

Ab initio MO calculations were carried out at the MP2/6-311++G(d,p) level to investigate the conformational energy of 2-substituted oxanes and 1,3-dioxanes. It has been found that the Gibbs free energies of the axial conformers are smaller than those of the corresponding equatorial conformers in every case when the 2-substituent Z is electron withdrawing (OCH(3), F, Cl, Br). The difference in Gibbs energy between the equatorial and axial conformers DeltaG(eq-ax) increases from Z=OCH(3) to F, Cl, and then to Br. In the axial conformers, the interatomic distance between Z and the axial C-H, separated by four covalent bonds, has been found to be appreciably shorter than the van der Waals distance, suggesting the importance of the five-membered CH/n (CH/O or CH/halogen) hydrogen bond in stabilizing these conformations. Natural bonding orbital (NBO) charges of the relevant atoms have been shown to be different between the two conformers: more positive for H and more negative for C in the axial conformers than in the corresponding equatorial conformers. In view of the above findings, we suggest that the CH/n hydrogen bond plays an important role in stabilizing the axial conformation in 2-substituted oxanes and 1,3-dioxanes, and by implication, in the anomeric effect in carbohydrate chemistry.