Novel iron(III) complexes of tripodal and linear tetradentate bis(phenolate) ligands: Close relevance to intradiol-cleaving catechol dioxygenases

Four new iron(III) complexes of the bis(phenolate) ligands N,N-dimethyl-N',N'-bis(2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzyl)ethylenediamine [H-2(L1)], N,N-dimethyl-N',N'-bis(2- hydroxy-4-nitrobenzyl)ethylenediamine [H-2(L2)], N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis(2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzyl)ethylenediamine [H-2(L3)], and N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis(2-hydroxy-4-nitrobenzyl)ethylenediamine [H-2(L4)] have been isolated and studied as structural and functional models for the intradiol-cleaving catechol 1,2-dioxygenases (CTD). The complexes [Fe(L1)Cl] (1), [Fe(L2)(H2O)Cl] (2), [Fe(L3)Cl] (3), and [Fe(L4)(H2O)Cl] (4) have been characterized using absorption spectral and electrochemical techniques. The single-crystal X-ray structures of the ligand H-2(L1) and the complexes 1 and 2 have been successfully determined. The tripodal ligand H-2(L1) containing a N2O2 donor set represents the metal-binding region of the iron proteins. Complex 1 contains an FeN2O2Cl chromophore with a novel trigonal bipyramidal coordination geometry. While two phenolate oxygens and an amine nitrogen constitute the trigonal plane, the other amine nitrogen and chloride ion are located in the axial positions. In contrast, 2 exhibits a rhombically distorted octahedral coordination geometry for the FeN2O3Cl chromophore. Two phenolate oxygen atoms, an amine nitrogen atom, and a water molecule are located on the corners of a square plane with the axial positions being occupied by the other nitrogen atom and chloride ion. The interaction of the complexes with a few monodentate bases and phenolates and differently substituted catechols have been investigated using absorption spectral and electrochemical methods. The effect of substituents on the phenolate rings on the electronic spectral features and Fe-III/Fe-II redox potentials of the complexes are discussed. The interaction of the complexes with catecholate anions reveals changes in the phenolate to iron(III) charge-transfer band and also the appearance of a low-energy catecholate to iron(III) charge-transfer band similar to catechol dioxygenase-substrate complexes. The redox behavior of the 1:1 adducts of the complexes with 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (H2DBC) has been also studied. The reactivities of the present complexes with H2DBC have been studied and illustrated. Interestingly, only 2 and 4 catalyze the intradiol-cleavage of H2DBC, the rate of oxygenation being much faster for 4. Also 2, but not 4, yields an extradiol cleavage product. The reactivity of the complexes could be illustrated not on the basis of the Lewis acidity of the complexes alone but by assuming that the product release is the rate-determining phase of the catalytic reaction.