In this study, we used different ways to synthetize four-coordinate zinc(II) and nickel(II) complexes with optically active Schiff base offering N2S2 coordination, i.e. N,N'-Bis(2-thiobenzylidene)-l,2-(R,R)cycholhexyl- enediaminatozinc(II) (1) and N,N'-Bis(2-thiobenzylidene)-l,2-(R,R)cychol- hexylenediaminatonickel(II) (2). We obtained the crystal structure of 2 and the pyridine adduct of 1, N,N'-Bis(2-thiobenzylidene)-l,2-(R,R)cycholhexylenediaminopyridylzinc(II) (1¡DPy). Coordination geometry around Zn atom in 1¡DPy is a distorted trigonal bipyramid. These structures were compared with the N2O2 stuctural analogues reported in the literature. We hope these chiral complexes can make contribution to the enzyme model studies in the future.

Dichloromethane is one solvent that is used widely in laboratory. It is so stable that it seldom reacts with other materials. There are only a few reports that involves dichloromehane as a reactant. Previous in our laboratory, we discovered a dichloromethane activation product. To study the details of the methylene insertion prouct, [(SCH2S)PS]2Zn form (Et4N)2 (PS3Zn)2, we used monodentate thiols in different condition as models to understand what condition thiols may react with dichloro methane. We found out thiols can react with dichloromethane under strong base. When there is aromatic ring in a thiol, that thiol will react with dichloromethane easily. Adding zinc salts showed that zinc ion is an inhibitor in thiolate/dichloromethane reactions. We synthesized Tris(3-trimethylsilyl-2-thiophenyl)phosphine [H3SiPS3] and SiPS3Zn complex to study the parallel effect of adding bulky silyl substitaents on PS3 ligand towards reaction with dichloromethane. Most conclusion are similar to that of monodentate thiols. There is one thing that differs from the results of monedentate thiols: the SiPS3Zn complex does react with dichloromethane.

Kassel, Univ., Diss., 2008

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, one of the most important classes of heme-thiolate proteins, have attracted considerable interest in the biochemical community because of its catalytic versatility, substrate diversity and great number in the superfamily. Although P450s are capable of catalyzing numerous difficult oxidation reactions, the relatively low stability, low turnover rates and the need of electron-donating cofactors have limited their practical biotechnological and pharmaceutical applications as isolated enzymes. The goal of this study is to tailor such heme-thiolate proteins into efficient biocatalysts with high specificity and selectivity by protein engineering and to better understand the structure-function relationship in cytochromes P450. In the effort to engineer P450cam, the prototype member of the P450 superfamily, into an efficient peroxygenase that utilizes hydrogen peroxide via the “peroxide-shunt” pathway, site-directed mutagenesis has been used to elucidate the critical roles of hydrophobic residues in the active site. Various biophysical, biochemical and spectroscopic techniques have been utilized to investigate the wild-type and mutant proteins. Three important P450cam variants were obtained showing distinct structural and functional features. In P450camV247H mutant, which exhibited almost identical spectral properties with the wild-type, it is demonstrated that a single amino acid switch turned the monooxygenase into an efficient preoxidase by increasing the peroxidase activity nearly one thousand folds. In order to tune the distal pocket of P450cam with polar residues, Leu 246 was replaced with a basic residue, lysine, resulting in a mutant with spectral features identical to P420, the inactive species of P450. But this inactive-species-like mutant showed catalytic activities without the facilitation of any cofactors. By substituting Gly 248 with a histidine, a novel Cys-Fe-His ligation set was obtained in P450cam which represented the very rare case of His ligation in heme-thiolate proteins. In addition to serving as a convenient model for hemoprotein structural studies, the G248H mutant also provided evidence about the nature of the axial ligand in cytochrome P420 and other engineered hemoproteins with thiolate ligations. Furthermore, attempts have been made to replace the proximal ligand in sperm whale myoglobin to construct a heme-thiolate protein model by mimicking the protein environment of cytochrome P450cam and chloroperoxidase.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-14T13:21:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ArquivoTotal.pdf: 5988858 bytes, checksum: 14b6ada57a04027cb68c7a9acf14e510 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-12-10 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Heterocyclic compounds like mesoionics are flat and nonaromatic betaínes stabilized by electron delocalization. Some of their properties enable these compounds to be used in crystal liquid field, nonlinear optics and development of new drugs since betaínes possess a broad spectrum of biological activities such as antibacterial, antitumor, antifungal, antimalarial, anticonvulsant, etc. The aim of this work was the synthesis and characterization of the following mesoionic compounds 1,3-thiazolium-5- thiolate class in free base form (MI-H1.1, MI-H1.2, MI-H1.3) and derivates as S-methylated and S-ethylated salts (MI-H2.1, MI-H2.2, MIH2.3, MI-H2.4, MI-H2.5 e MI-H2.6) and of the mesoionic compounds 1,3-diazolio-5-thiolate class in free base form (MI-H4.1, MI-H4.2, MIH4.3 e MI-H4.4) and derivates as S-ethylated salts (MI-H5.1, MI-H5.2 e MI-H5.3). These compounds were properly characterized by spectroscopic techniques such as IR, 1H and 13C NMR. The compounds MI-H1.1, MIH1.2, M1-H2.2, MI-H2.5, MI-H3.2 e MI-H3.4 tested to antifungal activity and the results showed the four of the present activity to inhibit five of six Candidum species with MIC in the range of 64 μg/mL. / Entre os compostos da classe heterocíclica, os mesoiônicos são betaínas heterocíclicas planas e não aromáticas estabilizadas por deslocalização de elétrons. Apresentam propriedades que podem ser aplicadas na área de cristais líquidos, óptica não-linear e principalmente na área de desenvolvimentos de novos fármacos, uma vez que esses compostos possuem um amplo espectro de atividades biológicas tais como: antibacteriana, antitumoral, antifúngica, antimalárica, analgésica, antiinflamatória, anticonvulsivante, etc. Neste trabalho relatamos a síntese e caracterização dos compostos mesoiônicos da classe 1,3-tiazólio-5-tiolato (MI-H1.1, MI-H1.2, MI-H1.3) na forma de base livre e seus derivados na forma de sais S-metilados e S-etilados (MI-H2.1, MI-H2.2, MI-H2.3, MIH2.4, MI-H2.5 e MI-H2.6) e dos compostos mesoiônicos da classe 1,3- diazolio-5-tiolato (MI-H4.1, MI-H4.2, MI-H4.3 e MI-H4.4) na forma de base livre e seus derivados na forma de sais S-etilados (MI-H5.1, MI-H5.2 e MI-H5.3). Todos os compostos foram devidamente caracterizados por técnicas espectroscópicas de IV, RMN de 1H e 13C. Dos dezesseis compostos, apenas os compostos MI-H1.1, MI-H1.2, M1-H2.2, MI-H2.5, MI-H3.2 e MI-H3.4 foram avaliados na atividade antifúngicas e 4 deles apresentaram ótima atividade inibindo cinco das seis espécies de Candida com CIM na faixa de 64 μg/mL. Palavras-chave: Compostos Mesoiônicos, Atividade Antifúngica, 1,3-tiazólio- 5-tiolato, 1,3-diazólio-5-tiolato Entre os compostos da classe heterocíclica, os mesoiônicos sãobetaínas heterocíclicas planas e não aromáticas estabilizadas pordeslocalização de elétrons. Apresentam propriedades que podem seraplicadas na área de cristais líquidos, óptica não-linear e principalmente naárea de desenvolvimentos de novos fármacos, uma vez que essescompostos possuem um amplo espectro de atividades biológicas tais como:antibacteriana, antitumoral, antifúngica, antimalárica, analgésica,antiinflamatória, anticonvulsivante, etc. Neste trabalho relatamos a síntesee caracterização dos compostos mesoiônicos da classe 1,3-tiazólio-5-tiolato(MI-H1.1, MI-H1.2, MI-H1.3) na forma de base livre e seus derivados naforma de sais S-metilados e S-etilados (MI-H2.1, MI-H2.2, MI-H2.3, MIH2.4,MI-H2.5 e MI-H2.6) e dos compostos mesoiônicos da classe 1,3-diazolio-5-tiolato (MI-H4.1, MI-H4.2, MI-H4.3 e MI-H4.4) na forma debase livre e seus derivados na forma de sais S-etilados (MI-H5.1, MI-H5.2e MI-H5.3). Todos os compostos foram devidamente caracterizados portécnicas espectroscópicas de IV, RMN de 1H e 13C. Dos dezesseis compostos,apenas os compostos MI-H1.1, MI-H1.2, M1-H2.2, MI-H2.5, MI-H3.2 eMI-H3.4 foram avaliados na atividade antifúngicas e 4 deles apresentaramótima atividade inibindo cinco das seis espécies de Candida com CIM nafaixa de 64 μg/mL.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Chemistry / Christine M. Aikens / This body of work describes a theoretical study of the growth mechanism of gold thiolate nanoparticles from Au(III) as synthesized in the Brust-Schiffrin method. The Au(III) salt can be reduced to form Au(I) by two thiols or a hydride. Depending on the polarity of the solvent, the Au(I) species will either yield rings and anionic chains, remain in isolation, or create an ionic complex with the phase transfer agent. No matter what form the Au(I) species takes, a second reduction must occur to yield Au(0). If the solvent is polar, such as methanol or water, and the Au(I) species is a ring or anionic chain, then a hydride can reduce the structure and create a gold-gold bond and dissociate a thiol from the structure. The gold atoms involved in the gold-gold bond would have a formal Au(0) oxidation state. However if the Au(I) species can be kept from forming rings or chains in the polar solvent or if the system is in a nonpolar solvent, then two Au(I) species in close proximity in the presence of hydride can react to yield a non-radical Au(0) species. The oxidation of bare gold nanoclusters by thiol will also be examined, such as in the case of SMAD-produced gold nanoparticles. In this process, the gold nanoclusters are initially in the Au(0) oxidation state. However the SR-Au-SR “staple” motifs that are known to passivate gold nanoparticles contain Au(I) species. The adsorption of thiol on various sizes of gold clusters in several charge states will be calculated and the mechanism for the oxidation of Au3 and three-dimensional Au12 will be modeled. The rate-limiting step is found to be the thiol hydrogen dissociation onto the gold cluster. Once this dissociation occurs, the hydrogen can move freely around the surface. Finally, Au25(SH)18- will be investigated as a catalyst for selective hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated aldehyde. The dependence of the energetics of hydrogen gas dissociation on Au25(SH)18- on the functional and Grimme dispersion correction employed will also be examined.

The significant role that nitric oxide plays in human physiology is linked to the ability of NO to bind to iron forming mono-nitrosyl iron complexes. Protein-bound and low-molecular-weight dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs) are known to form in excess NO. Studies of such biological DNICs have relied on their paramagnetism and characteristic EPR signal of g value of 2.03. It has been suggested that DNICs act in vivo as NO storage (when protein-bound) and transfer agents (when released by, for example, free cysteine). Biological DNICs, mainly resulting from iron-sulfur cluster degradation, are difficult to extract and isolate, thereby preventing their full characterization. Thus, development of synthetic DNICs is a promising approach to model and better understand the formation and function of biological DNICs, the scope of donor ligands that might coexist with Fe(NO)2 units, the redox levels of bio-DNICs, and establish other spectroscopic techniques appropriate for characterization. A series of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and imidazole (Imid) complexes has been characterized as mimics of histidine-containing DNICs. The pseudo-tetrahedral L2Fe(NO)2 complexes have NO stretching frequencies and redox potentials that suggest the NHCs are slightly better donors than Imids, however the two types of ligands have similar steric properties. Both the EPR-active, {Fe(NO)2}9 and the EPR-silent, {Fe(NO)2}10 states can be accessed and stabilized by the NHC. Nitric oxide transfer studies have shown that only the {Fe(NO)2}9 complexes are capable of transferring NO to a suitable NO trapping agent. Deprotonation of the distal nitrogen functionality in the imidazolate ligands of [(Imidazole)2Fe(NO)2]- leads to aggregation forming molecular squares of {Fe(NO)2}9 units bridged by the imidazolates. These interesting tetrameric complexes are examined by X-ray diffraction, EPR, and Mössbauer studies. The paramagnetic tetrameric complexes have multiple redox events observed by cyclic voltammetry. Mössbauer spectral data of the tetrameric complexes are compared with Mössbauer data obtained for a series of NHC-containing DNICs. Iron and cobalt-containing mononitrosyl N2S2 model complexes of the nitrile hydratase enzyme active site demonstrate sulfur-based reactivity resulting in the formation of polymetallic complexes. In all cases, shifts in the nitrosyl stretching frequencies demonstrate substantial transfer of electron density from the (NO)M(N2S2) moiety to the metal-acceptor site.

Our aim was to develop the synthetic potential and reaction chemistry of Ir3+ and Ru2+ electrophiles by preparing well-characterized complexes whose properties are controllable by modification of the ancillary ligand environment Specifically, we prepared a series of ruthenium complexes to serve as selective hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis catalysts of furan derivatives. We also expanded the synthesis of electrophilic Ir3+ di-thiolate complexes. These types of compounds could eventually serve as catalysts precursors for the addition of weak nucleophiles to alkynes and nitriles.

Chloroperoxidase (CPO) from Caldariomyces fumago is a versatile heme enzyme with great potential for environmental and pharmaceutical applications. It catalyzes a plethora of reactions including halogenation, dismutation, epoxidation, and oxidation. The diverse catalytic capabilities of CPO have long been attributed to the protein’s distinct active site that combines structural features of peroxidases and cytochromes P450. Particularly, the role of the axial thiolate ligand in CPO catalysis has been much debated. Furthermore, no data are available on the role of hydrogen bonding between Arg 26-Asn 37 and Ala 27-Asn 33 of the proximal helix in defining the structural and catalytic properties of CPO. In order to investigate the influence of the proximal thiolate and the proximal hydrogen bond network on the structural and biochemical properties of CPO, several mutant CPOs were constructed and characterized using various spectroscopic techniques and enzymatic assays. Cysteine 29, which coordinates to the heme, was replaced with a His (C29H) to mimic the proximal ligation of classical peroxidases. The UV-Vis spectrum of the carbon monoxide complex of ferrous C29H mutant remained essentially identical to that of wild type (WT) CPO and P450 although the ferric state of the variant enzyme showed a spectral pattern reminiscent of a classical histidine ligated heme peroxidase. Histidine ligation was further confirmed by paramagnetic NMR spectroscopy. Contrary to a previous report, the specific chlorination activity of C29H was essentially abolished (less than 1% of that of WT CPO) but the epoxidation and peroxidation activities were enhanced 10-fold and 55-fold, respectively. These findings demonstrate for the first time that the heme ligand, Cys 29 in CPO, is not a prerequisite for CPO’s unique P450-like spectroscopic signatures but is constitutive for the protein’s versatile catalytic activities. Arginine 26 and Asparagine 33 in the proximal heme pocket were replaced with Ala (R26A, N33A, and R26A/N33A) to disrupt hydrogen bonding. Tertiary structures and heme environments of R26A, N33A, and R26A/N33A differed from those of WT CPO as determined by CD spectroscopy. The specific chlorination and dismutation activities of all mutants were almost abolished but the peroxidation and epoxidation rates were increased. These results show that the proximal hydrogen bond network plays an important role in maintaining the structure and catalytic diversity of CPO.

Chloroperoxidase (CPO) is a heme-thiolate protein with exceptional versatility and great potential as a biocatalyst. The CPO reactive species, Compound I ( Cpd I) is of particular interest, as well as the Cytochrome P450 (P450) -type monoxygenase catalytic activity, which has significant biotechnological potential. Proximal hydrogen bonding of the axial sulfur with the backbone amides (NH•••S) is a conserved feature of heme-thiolate enzymes. In CPO, the effect of NH•••S bonds is amplified by the dipole moment of the proximal helix. The role of the proximal region has been disputed as to whether it simply protects the axial sulfur, or whether it additionally influences catalysis via modulation of the push effect. The objective of the research presented herein is two-fold. First, the influence of the NH•••S bonds on Cpd I formation is determined by obtaining the reaction coordinate, starting from a peroxide bound heme, for two model systems (one with proximal residues providing NH•••S bonds and one without) and comparing the results. Secondly, the influence of the proximal region on the epoxidation of Cis-β-methylsterene is obtained. This is performed similarly to the first objective however, the reaction coordinate begins with a Cpd I-CBMS complex and the proximal contribution is extended to include the influence of the proximal helix dipole. Our findings show that the proximal region stabilizes Cpd 0 relative to all other minima and reduces the barrier for Cpd 0’s formation. The stability of protonated Compound 0 is reduced, favoring a hybrid homo-heterolytic relative to a classic heterolytic mechanism for O-O bond scission. Additionally, the proximal region significantly enhances CPO’s reactivity; the Cβ-O bond barrier is stabilized, while Cα-O-Cβ ring closure becomes barrierless. The stabilization of the reaction barrier correlates with increased electron density transfer to residues of the proximal pocket and involves a change in the electron transfer mechanism. These results can be traced to a reduction in the pKa of the heme-bound substrate and an increase in oxidation potential, a result of the proximal region reducing the “push effect”.