Modeling water exchange on monomeric and dimeric Mn centers

Water exchange on Mn centers in proteins has been modeled with density functional theory using the B3LYP functional. The reaction barrier for dissociative water exchange on [Mn-IV(H2O)(2)(OH)(4)] is only 9.6 kcal mol(-1), corresponding to a rate of 6 x 10(5) s(-1). It has also been investigated how modifications of the model complex change the exchange rate. Three cases of water exchange on Mn dimers have been modeled. The reaction barrier for dissociative exchange of a terminal water ligand on [(H2O)(2)(OH)(2)Mn-IV(mu-O)(2)Mn-IV(H2O)(2) (OH)(2)] is 8.6 kcal mol(-1), while the bridging oxo group exchange with a ring-opening mechanism has a barrier of 19.2 kcal mol(-1). These results are intended for interpretations of measurements of water exchange for the oxygen evolving complex of photosystem II. Finally, a tautomerization mechanism for exchange of a terminal oxyl radical has been modeled for the synthetic 02 catalyst [(terpy)(H2O)Mn-IV(mu-O)(2)Mn-IV(O.)(terpy)](3+) (terpy=2,2':6,2-terpyridine). The calculated reaction barrier is 14.7 kcal mol(-1).