Ascorbate oxidation leading to the formation of a catalytically active oxalato bridged dicopper(II) complex as a model for dopamine beta-hydroxylase

A dicopper(II) complex [Cu-2(bpy)(2)(mu-ox)]X-2 (X = ClO4-, PF6-; ox = C2O42-) has been found to be catalytically active in the oxidation of ascorbic acid by dioxygen involving a copper(I) intermediate species and the process is also effective in the presence of benzylamine to form benzaldehyde.