PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Eric Saint-Aman

Publications and source records attributed to Eric Saint-Aman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Multifrequency EPR and redox reactivity investigations of a bis(mu-thiolato)-dicopper(II,II) complex.

From a new tripodal ligand [N2SS'H] with mixed N, S(thioether), and S(thiolate) donor set, the corresponding bis(mu-thiolato)dicopper(II) complex has been prepared and characterized. X-ray crystallographic analysis of the complex [Cu2(N2SS')2](ClO4)2.C4H10O (1) demonstrates that the two five-coordinated Cu atoms are bridged by two thiolates leading to a nearly planar Cu2S2 core with a Cu1...Cu1* distance of 3.418(8) A and a large bridging angle Cu1S1Cu1* of 94.92 degrees. X-band (10 GHz), Q-band (34 GHz), and F-Band (115 GHz) EPR spectra of 1 are consistent with a weakly coupled dicopper(II,II) center attributed to an S = 1 state. Simulations for the three frequencies are obtained with a unique set of electronic parameters. The mean values of the spin Hamiltonian parameters for 1 are D = 0.210(3) cm(-1), E = 0.0295(5) cm(-1), |E/D| = 0.140, gx = 2.030(2), gy = 2.032(2), gz = 2.128(2). The electrochemical one-electron reduction of 1 generates the mixed-valent CuIICuI species. EPR and UV-vis spectra are consistent with a type I localized mixed-valent species, while dinuclear CuA centers of native cytochrome c oxidase (CcO)1-3 or nitrous oxide reductase (N2OR)4 have a delocalized CuIICuI mixed-valent state. After reoxidation of the CuIICuI species, the initial complex 1 is regenerated through a reversible interconversion process.

Catalysis↗

Redox-active biomolecular architectures and self-assembled monolayers based on a cyclodecapeptide regioselectively addressable functional template.

A nanometer scale redox active biomolecular architecture has been successfully synthesized through an efficient chemoselective oxime based coupling between ferrocenyl groups and a regioselectively addressable cyclodecapeptide. This molecular tool exhibits electronic, structural, and chemical properties driven by the biomimetic recognition activity of the polypeptide skeleton associated to the well-defined electrochemical activity of metallocenyl probes. Biomolecular materials obtained by confinement of the redox cyclopeptide in self-assembled monolayers on gold surfaces shows efficient through-bond electron transfer from the ferrocenes to the electrode surface via the peptidic backbone, as well as markedly improved sensing properties toward anionic species in organic electrolyte, as compared to those observed in homogeneous solution.

Cyclization↗

Valence tautomerism in octahedral and square-planar phenoxyl-nickel(II) complexes: are imino nitrogen atoms good friends?

The two tetradentate ligands H(2)L and H(2)L(Me) afford the slightly distorted square-planar low-spin Ni(II) complexes 1 and 2, which comprise two coordinated phenolate groups. Complex 1 has been electrochemically oxidized into 1(+), which contains a coordinated phenoxyl radical, with a contribution from the nickel orbital. In the presence of pyridine, 1(+) is converted into 1(Py) (+), an octahedral phenolate nickel(III) complex with two pyridines axially coordinated: An intramolecular electron transfer (valence tautomerism) is promoted by the geometrical changes, from square planar to octahedral, around the metal center. The tetradentate ligand H(2)L(Me), in the presence of pyridine, and the hexadentate ligand H(2)L(Py) in CH(2)Cl(2) afford, respectively, the octahedral high-spin Ni(II) complexes 2(Py) and 3, which involve two equatorial phenolates and two axially coordinated pyridines. At 100 K, the one-electron-oxidized product 2(Py) (+) comprises a phenoxyl radical ferromagnetically coupled to the high-spin Ni(II) ion, with large zero-field splitting parameters, while 3(+) involves a phenoxyl radical antiferromagnetically coupled to the high-spin Ni(II) ion.

Crystallography, X-Ray↗

Catecholase activity of a copper(II) complex with a macrocyclic ligand: unraveling catalytic mechanisms.

We report the structure, properties and a mechanism for the catecholase activity of a tetranuclear carbonato-bridged copper(II) cluster with the macrocyclic ligand [22]pr4pz (9,22-dipropyl-1,4,9,14,17,22,27,28,29, 30-decaazapentacyclo[22.2.1.1(4,7).1(11,14). 1(17,20)]triacontane-5,7(28),11(29),12,18, 20(30),24(27),25-octaene). In this complex, two copper ions within a macrocyclic unit are bridged by a carbonate anion, which further connects two macrocyclic units together. Magnetic susceptibility studies have shown the existence of a ferromagnetic interaction between the two copper ions within one macrocyclic ring, and a weak antiferromagnetic interaction between the two neighboring copper ions of two different macrocyclic units. The tetranuclear complex was found to be the major compound present in solution at high concentration levels, but its dissociation into two dinuclear units occurs upon dilution. The dinuclear complex catalyzes the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol to the respective quinone in methanol by two different pathways, one proceeding via the formation of semiquinone species with the subsequent production of dihydrogen peroxide as a byproduct, and another proceeding via the two-electron reduction of the dicopper(II) center by the substrate, with two molecules of quinone and one molecule of water generated per one catalytic cycle. The occurrence of the first pathway was, however, found to cease shortly after the beginning of the catalytic reaction. The influence of hydrogen peroxide and di-tert-butyl-o-benzoquinone on the catalytic mechanism has been investigated. The crystal structures of the free ligand and the reduced dicopper(I) complex, as well as the electrochemical properties of both the Cu(II) and the Cu(I) complexes are also reported.

Catalysis↗

Fine tuning of the oxidation locus, and electron transfer, in nickel complexes of pro-radical ligands.

A large number of complexes of the first-row transition metals with non-innocent ligands has been characterized in the last few years. The localization of the oxidation site in such complexes can lead to discrepancies when electrons can be removed either from the metal center (leading to an M((n+1)+) closed-shell ligand) or from the ligand (leading to an M(n+) open-shell ligand). The influence of the ligand field on the oxidation site in square-planar nickel complexes of redox-active ligands is explored herein. The tetradentate ligands employed herein incorporate two di-tert-butylphenolate (pro-phenoxyl) moieties and one orthophenylenediamine spacer. The links between the spacer and both phenolates are either two imines ([Ni(L1)]), two amidates ([Ni(L3)]2-), or one amidate and one imine ([Ni(L2)]-). The structure of each nickel(II) complex is presented. In the noncoordinating solvent CH2Cl2, the one-electron-oxidized forms are ligand-radical species with a contribution from a singly occupied d orbital of the nickel. In the presence of an exogenous ligand, such as pyridine, a Ni(III) closed-shell ligand form is favored: axial ligation, which stabilizes the trivalent nickel in its octahedral geometry, induces an electron transfer from the metal(II) center to the radical ligand. The affinity of pyridine for the phenoxylnickel(II) species is correlated to the N-donor ability of the linkers.

Crystallography, X-Ray↗

Cyclodecapeptides to mimic the radical site of tyrosyl-containing proteins.

Tyrosyl radicals are involved in many biologically important processes. The development of model compounds to mimic radical enzyme active sites, such as galactose oxidase (GO), has widely contributed to an enhanced understanding of their spectral properties, structural attributes and even reactivity. An emerging approach towards the synthesis of such active site mimetics is the use of peptidic ligands. The potential of cyclodecapeptides to bear phenoxyl radicals has been evaluated through three compounds. LH(4) (2+) is a cyclodecapetide containing two histidine residues (mimicking His(496) and His(581) of GO) and two tyrosine residues (mimicking Tyr(495) and the Tyr(272)* radical of GO). L(tBu)H(4) (2+) and L(OMe)H(4) (2+) incorporate 2,4,6-protected phenols in place of each tyrosine in LH(4) (2+). The deprotonation constants of each peptide determined by potentiometric titrations showed that there are some interactions between the acido-basic residues. Cyclic voltammetric studies revealed that only the peptides incorporating 2,4,6-protected phenolates exhibit reversible redox couples and are thus precursors of radicals stable enough to persist in solution. These studies also showed L(OMe2-) to possess the lower oxidation potential, indicating that this peptide, in its radical form, is the most stabilized. The electrochemically generated radical species have been characterized by EPR spectroscopy.

Binding Sites↗

Catecholase activity of a mu-hydroxodicopper(II) macrocyclic complex: structures, intermediates and reaction mechanism.

The monohydroxo-bridged dicopper(II) complex (1), its reduced dicopper(I) analogue (2) and the trans-mu-1,2-peroxo-dicopper(II) adduct (3) with the macrocyclic N-donor ligand [22]py4pz (9,22-bis(pyridin-2'-ylmethyl)-1,4,9,14,17,22,27,28,29,30- decaazapentacyclo -[22.2.1(14,7).1(11,14).1(17,20)]triacontane-5,7(28),11(29),12,18,20(30), 24(27),25-octaene), have been prepared and characterized, including a 3D structure of 1 and 2. These compounds represent models of the three states of the catechol oxidase active site: met, deoxy (reduced) and oxy. The dicopper(II) complex 1 catalyzes the oxidation of catechol model substrates in aerobic conditions, while in the absence of dioxygen a stoichiometric oxidation takes place, leading to the formation of quinone and the respective dicopper(I) complex. The catalytic reaction follows a Michaelis-Menten behavior. The dicopper(I) complex binds molecular dioxygen at low temperature, forming a trans-mu-1,2-peroxo-dicopper adduct, which was characterized by UV-Vis and resonance Raman spectroscopy and electrochemically. This peroxo complex stoichiometrically oxidizes a second molecule of catechol in the absence of dioxygen. A catalytic mechanism of catechol oxidation by 1 has been proposed, and its relevance to the mechanisms earlier proposed for the natural enzyme and other copper complexes is discussed.

Catalysis↗

Calix[4]phyrin based redox architectures: towards new molecular tools for electrochemical sensing.

New redox active molecular macrocyclic architectures characterized by a direct connection between dipyrrin, tripyrrin and ferrocenyl fragments have been synthesized and characterized. Contrarily to fully conjugated porphyrins, in which four pyrrole moieties contribute to the overall aromatic pi-electronic system and behave as a unique electroactive species, calixphyrins can be regarded as an assembly of independent redox active pyrrole and conjugated oligopyrrole fragments linked through sp(3) hybridized meso carbon atoms. The disruption of the conjugation pathway not only multiplies the number of redox centres throughout the molecule but also leads to a large variety of molecular architectures with specific physico-chemical properties. These novel ferrocene containing hybrid macrocycles exhibit especially attractive electronic and structural features suited for use as molecular sensing tools. An efficient voltammetric sensing of exogenic electron rich anionic species could especially be performed using a metallo-calix[4]phyrin-(1.1.1.1) through the displacement of the labile axial binding site, the perturbation of the Fc(0/+) redox couple being directly related to complexed species features.

Journal Article↗

Galactose oxidase models: solution chemistry, and phenoxyl radical generation mediated by the copper status.

Galactose oxidase (GO) is an enzyme that catalyzes two-electron oxidations. Its active site contains a copper atom coordinated to a tyrosyl radical, the biogenesis of which requires copper and dioxygen. We have recently studied the properties of electrochemically generated mononuclear Cu(II)-phenoxyl radical systems as model compounds of GO. We present here the solution chemistry of these ligands under various copper and dioxygen statuses: N(3)O ligands first chelate Cu(II), leading, in the presence of base, to [Cu(II)(ligand)(CH(3)CN)](+) complexes (ortho-tert-butylated ligands) or [(Cu(II))(2)(ligand)(2)](2+) complexes (ortho-methoxylated ligands). Excess copper(II) then oxidizes the complex to the corresponding mononuclear Cu(II)-phenoxyl radical species. N(2)O(2) tripodal ligands, in the presence of copper(II), afford directly a copper(II)-phenoxyl radical species. Addition of more than two molar equivalents of copper(II) affords a Cu(II)-bis(phenoxyl) diradical species. The donor set of the ligand directs the reaction towards comproportionation for ligands possessing an N(3)O donor set, while disproportionation is observed for ligands possessing an N(2)O(2) donor set. These results are discussed in the light of recent results concerning the self-processing of GO. A path involving copper(II) disproportionation is proposed for oxidation of the cross-linked tyrosinate of GO, supporting the fact that both copper(I) and copper(II) activate the enzyme.

Acetonitriles↗

Intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded versus copper(II) coordinated mono- and bis-phenoxyl radicals.

Ligands bearing two salicylidene imine moieties substituted in ortho and para positions by tert-butyl groups have been electrochemically oxidized into mono- and bis-phenoxyl radicals. The process involves an intramolecular proton coupled to electron transfer and affords a radical in which the oxygen atom is hydrogen-bonded to a protonated ammonium or iminium group. A weak intramolecular dipolar interaction exists between the two phenoxyl moieties in the bis-radical species. The copper(II) complexes of these ligands have been characterized and electrochemically oxidized. The mono-phenoxyl radical species are X-band EPR silent. The bis-phenoxyl radical species exhibits a (S= 3/2) ground state: it arises from a ferromagnetic exchange coupling between the two spins of the radicals and that of the copper(II) when the spacer is rigid enough; a flexible spacer such as ethylidene induces decomplexation of at least one phenoxyl group. Metal coordination is more efficient than hydrogen-bonding to enhance the chemical stability of the mono-phenoxyl radicals.

Biomimetic Materials↗

Redox-triggered molecular movement in a multicomponent metal complex in solution and in the solid state.

The Cu(I) and Cu(II) complexes of the new 1,8-diferro-cenylmethyl-4,11-dimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetra-decane ligand (denoted L) have been isolated and characterized by X-ray structure determination and electrochemical studies. The Cu(I) complex presents an unprecedented stability toward dioxygen. The two complexes adopt two energetically distinct and stable geometries, which differ mainly by the relative positioning of the substituents above or below the cyclam plane. Triggered by a copper-centered electron transfer, a fast and reversible motion of the noncoordinating subunits is obtained in homogeneous solution and in the solid state.

Journal Article↗

A powerful antiradiation compound revealed by a new high-throughput screening method.

We present a new high-throughput screening method for the selection of powerful water-soluble antiradiation compounds. This method, which uses conventional immunoassay techniques, allowed the capacity of a given compound to protect thymidine from irradiation to be evaluated. By applying this assay to an antioxidant library, we showed for the first time that norbadione A, a well-known mushroom pigment, has pronounced atypical antiradiation properties.

4-Butyrolactone↗

Galactose oxidase models: tuning the properties of CuII-phenoxyl radicals.

Four tripodal ligands with an N(3)O coordination sphere were synthesized: (2-hydroxy-3-tert-butyl-5-nitrobenzyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (LNO(2)H), (2-hydroxy-3-tert-butyl-5- fluorobenzyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (LFH), (2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylbenzyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (LtBuH) and (2-hydroxy-3-tert-butyl-5-methoxybenzyl)bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (LOMeH). Their square-pyramidal copper(II) complexes, in which the phenol subunit occupies an axial position, were prepared and characterized by X-ray crystallography and UV/Vis and EPR spectroscopy. The phenolate moieties of the copper(II) complexes of LtBuH and LOMeH were electrochemically oxidized to phenoxyl radicals. These complexes are EPR-active (S=1), highly stable (k(decay)=0.008 min(-1) for [Cu(II)(LOMe(.))(CH(3)CN)](2+)) and stoichiometrically oxidise benzyl alcohol. Two additional tripodal ligands providing an N(2)O(2) coordination sphere were also studied: (2-pyridylmethyl)(2-hydroxy-3-tert-butyl-5-methoxybenzyl)(2-hydroxy-3-tert-butyl-5-nitrobenzyl)amine (L'OMeNO(2)H(2)) and (2-pyridylmethyl)bis(2-hydroxy-3-tert-butyl-5- methoxy)benzylamine (L'OMe(2)H(2)). Their copper(II) complexes were isolated as dimers ([Cu(2II)(L'OMe(2))(2)], [Cu(2II)(L'OMeNO(2))(2)]) that are converted to monomers on addition of pyridine. The complexes were investigated by X-ray crystallography and UV/Vis and EPR spectroscopy. Their one-electron electrochemical oxidation leads to copper(II)-phenoxyl systems that are less stable than those of the N(3)O complexes. The N(2)O(2) complexes are more reactive than the N(3)O analogues: they aerobically oxidize benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde at a higher rate, as well as ethanol to acetaldehyde (40-80 turnovers).

Copper↗

Thermically and electrochemically induced isomerization of a (bis(ferrocene)-cyclam)copper(II) complex.

The new bis(ferrocene)-cyclam macrocycle 1,8-bis(ferrocenylmethyl)-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane, denoted L, has been synthesized. Two Cu(II) complexes with L have been isolated and characterized from X-ray structure determination and electrochemical studies. These two LCu(II) complexes correspond to the type I (ferrocenyl subunits in the same side of the cyclam plane) and type III (ferrocenyl subunits above and below the cyclam plane) isomers. The type I LCu(II) complex was synthesized from L and a Cu(2+) salt, while the type III isomer was obtained by oxidation in air or by comproportionation of the Cu(I) complex. The interconversion between type I and type III LCu(II) complexes is negligible in acetonitrile and slow in dimethyl sulfoxide but fast via an electrochemical reduction-reoxidation cycle. According to UV-vis and electrochemical characterizations, the type III isomer is thermodynamically more stable and the type I isomer is kinetically favored. A type III LNi(II) complex was also isolated and characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis and from electrochemical studies.

Journal Article↗