Selective formation of a stable micro-peroxo ferric heme-Cu(II) complex from the corresponding micro-oxo Fe(III)-Cu(II) species with hydrogen peroxide.

An oxo-bridged ferric heme-copper(II) complex, obtained by thermal transformation of the corresponding peroxo-bridged complex, was reacted with an equimolar amount of H2O2 to regenerate the micro-peroxo complex by a ligand exchange from oxo to peroxo, without the formation of a ferryl-oxo species or heme degradation as are observed in general ferric heme-H2O2 reactions.