Chelate ring size variations and their effects on coordination chemistry and catechol dioxygenase reactivity of iron(III) complexes.

The catechol dioxygenase reactivity of iron(III) complexes using tripodal ligands was investigated. Increasing, as well as decreasing, chelate ring sizes in the highly active complex [Fe(tmpa)(dbc)]B(C6H5)4 (tmpa = tris[(2-pyridyl)methyl]amine; dbc = 3,5-di-tert-butylcatecholate dianion), using related ligands, only resulted in decreased reactivity of the investigated compounds. A detailed low-temperature stopped-flow investigation of the reaction of dioxygen with [Fe(tmpa)(dbc)]B(C6H5)4 was performed, and activation parameters of DeltaH++ = 23 +/- 1 kJ mol(-1) and DeltaS++ = -199 +/- 4 J mol(-1) K(-1) were obtained.

Reaction behaviour of dinuclear copper(I) complexes with m-xylyl-based ligands towards dioxygen.

Intramolecular ligand hydroxylation was observed during the reactions of dioxygen with the dicopper(I) complexes of the ligands L(1)(L(1)=alpha,alpha'-bis[(2-pyridylethyl)amino]-m-xylene) and L(3)(L(3)=alpha, alpha'-bis[N-(2-pyridylethyl)-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)amino]-m-xylene). The dinuclear copper(I) complex [Cu(2)L(3)](ClO(4))(2) and the dicopper(II) complex [Cu(2)(L(1)-O)(OH)(ClO(4))]ClO(4) were characterized by single-crystal X-ray structure analysis. Furthermore, phenolate-bridged complexes were synthesized with the ligand L(2)-OH (structurally characterized [Cu(2)(L(2)-O)Cl(3)] with L(2)=alpha, alpha'-bis[N-methyl-N-(2-pyridylethyl)amino]-m-xylene; synthesized from the reaction between [Cu(2)(L(2)-O)(OH)](ClO(4))(2) and Cl(-)) and Me-L(3)-OH: [Cu(2)(Me-L(3)-O)(mu-X)](ClO(4))(2)xnH(2)O (Me-L(3)-OH = 2,6-bis[N-(2-pyridylethyl)-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)amino]-4-methylphenol and X = C(3)H(3)N(2)(-)(prz), MeCO(2)(-) and N(3)(-)).