Copper Complexes as Bioinspired Models for Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenases

We report here two copper complexes as first functional models for lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases, mononuclear copper-containing enzymes involved in recalcitrant polysaccharide breakdown. These complexes feature structural and spectroscopic properties similar to those of the enzyme. In addition, they catalyze oxidative cleavage of the model substrate p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside. More importantly, a particularly stable copper(II) hydroperoxide intermediate is detected in the reaction conditions.