Catalysis with Cu(II) (bpy) improves alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment.

Copper(II) 2,2'-bipyridine (Cu(II) (bpy))-catalyzed alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) pretreatment was performed on three biomass feedstocks including alkali pre-extracted switchgrass, silver birch, and a hybrid poplar cultivar. This catalytic approach was found to improve the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of plant cell wall polysaccharides to monosaccharides for all biomass types at alkaline pH relative to uncatalyzed pretreatment. The hybrid poplar exhibited the most significant improvement in enzymatic hydrolysis with monomeric sugar release and conversions more than doubling from 30% to 61% glucan conversion, while lignin solubilization was increased from 36.

Bisamidate and mixed amine/amidate NiN2S2 complexes as models for nickel-containing acetyl coenzyme A synthase and superoxide dismutase: an experimental and computational study.

The distal nickel site of acetyl-CoA synthase (Ni(d)-ACS) and reduced nickel superoxide dismutase (Ni-SOD) display similar square-planar Ni(II)N(2)S(2) coordination environments. One difference between these two sites, however, is that the nickel ion in Ni-SOD contains a mixed amine/amidate coordination motif while the Ni(d) site in Ni-ACS contains a bisamidate coordination motif. To provide insight into the consequences of the different coordination environments on the properties of the Ni ions, we systematically examined two square-planar Ni(II)N(2)S(2) complexes, one with bisthiolate-bisamidate ligation (Et(4)N)(2)(Ni(L1)).

A novel copper(II) complex of a tripodal ligand with phenolate-phenol interligand, intramolecular hydrogen bonding.

A novel tripodal ligand with three different arms, viz., pyridine, phenol and an oxime and its copper(II) complex were synthesised. The X-ray crystal structure of the compound reveals that it is a dinuclear complex consisting of two copper(II) ions doubly bridged by two oximato groups in a trans arrangement.

Modeling carbon monoxide dehydrogenase/acetyl-CoA synthase (CODH/ACS): a trinuclear nickel complex employing deprotonated amides and bridging thiolates.

Carbon monoxide dehydrogenase/acetyl-CoA synthase (CODH/ACS) utilizes a unique Ni-M bimetallic site in the biosynthesis of acetyl-CoA, where a square-planar Ni ion is coordinated to two thiolates and two deprotonated amides in a Cys-Gly-Cys motif. The identity of M is currently a matter of debate, although both Cu and Ni have been proposed. In an effort to model ACS's unusual active site and to provide insight into the mechanism of acetyl-CoA formation and the role of each of the metals ions, we have prepared and structurally characterized a number of Ni(II)-peptide mimic complexes.

Copper(II) Complexes with Unusual Axial Phenolate Coordination as Structural Models for the Active Site in Galactose Oxidase: X-ray Crystal Structures and Spectral and Redox Properties of [Cu(bpnp)X] Complexes.

The crystal structures of [Cu(bpnp)(SCN)].NH(4)SCN (1), [Cu(bpnp)(CH(3)COO)].CH(3)OH.