Heterogeneous binding of dioxygen: EPR and DFT evidence for side-on nickel(II)-superoxo adduct with unprecedented magnetic structure hosted in MFI zeolite.

This article reports on the activation of dioxygen on nickel(I) dispersed inside the nanopores of the ZSM-5 zeolite, which can be regarded as a heterogeneous mimetic system (zeozyme) for Ni-bearing enzymes. The side-on η(2)-coordination of the resulting nickel-bound superoxo adduct was ascertained by detailed analysis of the EPR spectra of both (16)O(2) and (17)O(2) species supported by computer simulations of the spectra and relativistic DFT calculations of the EPR signatures. Molecular analysis of the g and A((17)O) tensors (g(xx) = 2.

DFT analysis of g and 13C hyperfine coupling tensors for model Ni(I)(CO)(n)L(m) (n = 1-4, L = H2O, OH-) complexes epitomizing surface nickel(I) carbonyls.

Relativistic calculations within the spin-orbit mean-field (SOMF) approximation, the zero-order regular approximation (ZORA), and the scalar relativistic method based on the Pauli Hamiltonian were performed for the prediction and interpretation of the electronic g tensor and (13)C hyperfine tensor for a set of model polycarbonyl nickel(I) complexes with aqua or hydroxy coligands. They exhibit extensive similarities with heterogeneous [Ni(I)(CO)(n)]-surface complexes produced upon adsorption of carbon monoxide on Ni(I) ions grafted on silica or inside the zeolite channels. Benchmark calculations showing the influence of the exchange-correlation functional on the g tensor were carried out for well-defined nickel(I) complexes of known structure.