Dinuclear copper(II) complexes with the new ligand 1,6-bis[[bis(1-methyl-2-benzimidazolyl)methyl]amino]-n-hexane (EBA) have been synthesized, and their reactivity as models for tyrosinase has been investigated in comparison with that of previously reported dinuclear complexes containing similar aminobis(benzimidazole) donor groups. The complex [Cu2(EBA)(H2O)4]4+, five-coordinated SPY, with three nitrogen donors from the ligand and two water molecules per copper, can be reversibly converted into the bis(hydroxo) complex [Cu2(EBA)(OH)2]2+ by addition of base (pK a1 = 7.77, pK a2 = 9.01). The latter complex can also be obtained by air oxidation of [Cu2(EBA)]2+ in methanol. The X-ray structural characterization of [Cu2(EBA)(OH)2]2+ shows that a double μ-hydroxo bridge is established between the two Cu(II) centers in this complex. The coordination geometry of the coppers is distorted square planar, with two benzimidazole donors and two hydroxo groups in the equatorial plane, and an additional, lengthened and severely distorted axial interaction (∼2.5 Å) with the tertiary amine donor. The small size and the quality of the single crystal as well as the fair loss of crystallinity during data collection required the use of synchrotron radiation at 100 K. [Cu2(EBA)(OH)2][PF6]2: orthorhombic Pca21 space group, a = 22.458(2) Å, b = 10.728(1) Å, c = 19.843(2) Å, R = 0.089. Besides OH-, the [Cu2(EBA)(H2O)4]4+ complex binds azide as a bridging ligand, with the μ-1,3 mode. Azide can also displace μ-OH in [Cu2(EBA)(OH)2]2+ as a bridging ligand. In general, the binding constants indicate that the long alkyl chain of EBA is less easily folded in the structures containing bridging ligands than the m-xylyl residue present in the previously reported dicopper(II) complexes. Electrochemical experiments show that [Cu2(EBA)(H2O)4]4+ undergoes a single, partially chemically reversible, two-electron reduction to the corresponding dicopper(I) congener at positive potential values (E 0‘ = 0.22 V, vs SCE). Interestingly, however, coordination to azide ion makes the reduction process proceed through two separated one-electron steps. The catalytic activity of [Cu2(EBA)(H2O)4]4+ in the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol has been examined in methanol/aqueous buffer, pH 5.1. The mechanism of the catalytic cycle parallels that of tyrosinase, where no hydrogen peroxide is released and dioxygen is reduced to water. Low-temperature (−80 °C) spectroscopic experiments show that oxygenation of the reduced complex [Cu2(EBA)]2+ does not produce a stable dioxygen adduct and leads to a μ-oxodicopper(II) species in a fast reaction.
The complex [Cu2(L-66)]2+ (L-66 = a,a'-bis¿bis[2-(1'-methyl-2'-benzimidazolyl)ethyl]amino¿-m-xylene) undergoes fully reversible oxygenation at low temperature in acetone. The optical [lambda(max) = 362 (epsilon 15000), 455 (epsilon 2000), and 550 nm (epsilon 900M(-1)cm(-1))] and resonance Raman features (760 cm(-1), shifted to 719cm(-1)(-1) with 18O2) of the dioxygen adduct [Cu2(L-66)(O2)]2+ indicate that it is a mu-eta2:eta2-peroxodicopper(II) complex. The kinetics of dioxygen binding, studied at - 78 degrees C, gave the rate constant k1 = 1.1M(-1) 5(-1) for adduct formation, and k(-1) =7.8 x 10(-5)s(-1), for dioxygen release from the Cu2O2 complex. From these values, the O2 binding constant K= 1.4 x 10(4)M(-1) at -78 degrees C could be determined. The [Cu2(L-66)(O2)]2+ complex performs the regiospecific ortho-hydroxylation of 4-carbomethoxyphenolate to the corresponding catecholate and the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol to the quinone at -60 degrees C. Therefore, [Cu2(L-66)]2+ is the first synthetic complex to form a stable dioxygen adduct and exhibit true tyrosinase-like activity on exogenous phenolic compounds.
The inhibition of the catechol oxidase activity exhibited by three dinuclear copper(II) complexes, derived from different diaminotetrabenzimidazole ligands, by kojic acid [5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-gamma-pyrone] has been studied. The catalytic mechanism of the catecholase reaction proceeds in two steps and for both of these inhibition by kojic acid is of competitive type. The inhibitor binds strongly to the dicopper(II) complex in the first step and to the dicopper-dioxygen adduct in the second step, preventing in both cases the binding of the catechol substrate. Binding studies of kojic acid to the dinuclear copper(II) complexes and a series of mononuclear analogs, carried out spectrophotometrically and by NMR, enable us to propose that the inhibitor acts as a bridging ligand between the metal centers in the dicopper(II) catalysts.
Moringa oleifera is a plant that grows in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Its leaves are rich of nutrients and bioactive compounds. However, several differences are reported in the literature. In this article we performed a nutritional characterization and a phenolic profiling of M. oleifera leaves grown in Chad, Sahrawi refugee camps, and Haiti. In addition, we investigated the presence of salicylic and ferulic acids, two phenolic acids with pharmacological activity, whose presence in M. oleifera leaves has been scarcely investigated so far. Several differences were observed among the samples. Nevertheless, the leaves were rich in protein, minerals, and β-carotene. Quercetin and kaempferol glycosides were the main phenolic compounds identified in the methanolic extracts. Finally, salicylic and ferulic acids were found in a concentration range of 0.14–0.33 and 6.61–9.69 mg/100 g, respectively. In conclusion, we observed some differences in terms of nutrients and phenolic compounds in M. oleifera leaves grown in different countries. Nevertheless, these leaves are a good and economical source of nutrients for tropical and sub-tropical countries. Furthermore, M. oleifera leaves are a source of flavonoids and phenolic acids, among which salicylic and ferulic acids, and therefore they could be used as nutraceutical and functional ingredients.
The copper-mediated oxygenation of methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (1) in acetonitrile has been investigated by employing a series of dinuclear copper(I) complexes with polybenzimidazole ligands. The reaction mimics the activity of the copper enzyme tyrosinase, since the initial product of the reaction is the o-catechol, methyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate (2). The ligand systems investigated include α,α‘-bis{bis[2-(1-methyl-2-benzimidazolyl)ethyl]amino}-m-xylene (L-66) α,α‘-bis{bis[2-(1-methyl-2-benzimidazolyl)methyl]amino}-m-xylene (L-55), α,α‘-bis{[(1-methyl-2-benzimidazolyl)methyl][2-(1-methyl-2-benzimidazolyl)ethyl]amino}-m-xylene (L-56), and α,α‘-bis{[(2-pyridyl)methyl][2-(1-methyl-2-benzimidazolyl)ethyl]amino}-m-xylene (L-5p6). The most effective among the dicopper(I) complexes is that derived from L-66, while its mononuclear Cu(I) analogue, with the ligand N,N-bis[2-(1-methyl-2-benzimidazolyl)ethyl]amine is inactive in the monooxygenase reaction. The catechol 2 is the only product of phenol hydroxylation when the reaction is carried out at low temperature (−40 °C). As the temperature is increased, methyl 2-[4-(carbomethoxy)phenoxy]-3,4-dihydroxybenzoate (4), formally resulting from Michael addition of the starting phenol to 4-carbomethoxy-1,2-benzoquinone (3) and probably resulting from the reaction between free phenolate and some intermediate copper−catecholate species, becomes a major product of the reaction. In order to gain insight into the mechanism of the reaction, the dicopper(I)−phenolate adducts and dicopper(II)−catecholate adducts of the L-66, L-55, and L-6 complexes have been studied. In a few cases the adducts containing catecholate monoanion or catecholate dianion have been isolated and spectrally characterized. It has been shown that the final product of the monooxygenase reaction corresponds to the dicopper(II)−catecholate dianion complex. A mechanism for the biomimetic phenol ortho-hydroxylation has been proposed and its possible relevance for tyrosinase discussed.
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