Science, Vol.273, No.5283, 1848-1850, 1996
Trinuclear Intermediate in the Copper-Mediated Reduction of O-2 - 4 Electrons from 3 Coppers
The reaction of metal complexes with dioxygen (O-2) generally proceeds in 1:1, 2:1, or 4:1 (metal:O-2) stoichiometry. A discrete, structurally characterized 3:1 product is presented. This mixed-valence trinuclear copper cluster, which contains copper in the highly oxidized trivalent oxidation state, exhibits O-2 bond scission and intriguing structural, spectroscopic, and redox properties. The relevance of this synthetic complex to the reduction of O-2 at the trinuclear active sites of multicopper oxidases is discussed.
Keywords:MAGNETIC CIRCULAR-DICHROISM;ACTIVE-SITE;NATIVE LACCASE;ASCORBATE OXIDASE;DIOXYGEN;REACTIVITY;COMPLEXES;HEMOCYANIN;PROTEINS;PEROXIDE