Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Mossbauer Spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory Analysis of a High-Spin FeIV-Oxo Complex

High-spin Fe-IV-oxo species are known to be kinetically competent oxidants in non-heme iron enzymes. The properties of these oxidants are not as well understood as the corresponding intermediate-spin oxidants of heme complexes. The present work gives a detailed characterization of the structurally similar complexes [Fe(IV)H(3)buea(O)](-), [Fe(III)H(3)buea(O)](2-), and [Fe(III)H(3)buea(OH)](-) (H(3)buea = tris[(N'-tert-butylureaylato)-N-ethylene]aminato) using Mossbauer and dual-frequency/dual-mode electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies. The [Fe(IV)H(3)buea(O)](-) complex has a high-spin (S = 2) configuration imposed by the C-3-symmetric ligand. The EPR spectra of the [Fe(IV)H(3)buea(O)](-) complex presented here represent the first documented examples of an EPR signal from an Fe-IV-oxo complex, demonstrating the ability to detect and quantify Few species with EPR spectroscopy. Quantitative simulations allowed the determination of the zero-field parameter, D = +4.7 cm(-1), and the species concentration. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the zero-field parameter were found to be in agreement with the experimental value and indicated that the major contribution to the D value is from spin-orbit coupling of the ground state with an excited S = 1 electronic configuration at 1.2 eV. O-17 isotope enrichment experiments allowed the determination of the hyperfine constants (17O)A(z) = 10 MHz for [Fe(IV)H(3)buea(O)](-) and (17O)A(y) = 8 MHz, (17O)A(z) = 12 MHz for [Fe(III)H(3)buea(OH)](-). The isotropic hyperfine constant ((17O)A(iso) = -16.8 MHz) was derived from the experimental value to allow a quantitative determination of the spin polarization (rho(p) = 0.56) of the oxo p orbitals of the Fe-oxo bond in [Fe(IV)H(3)buea(O)](-). This is the first experimental determination for non-heme complexes and indicates significant covalency in the Fe-oxo bond. High-field Mossbauer spectroscopy gave an Fe-57 A(dip) tensor of (+5.6, +5.3, -10.9) MHz and A(iso=) -25.9 MHz for the [Fe(IV)H(3)buea(O)](-) complex, and the results of DFT calculations were in agreement with the nuclear parameters of the complex.