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Cox17, a copper chaperone for cytochrome-c oxidase, is an essential and highly conserved protein in eukaryotic organisms. Yeast and mammalian Cox17 share six conserved cysteine residues, which are involved in complex redox reactions as well as in metal binding and transfer. Mammalian Cox17 exists in three oxidative states, each characterized by distinct metal-binding properties: fully reduced mammalian Cox17(0S-S) binds co-operatively to four Cu+; Cox17(2S-S), with two disulfide bridges, binds to one of either Cu+ or Zn2+; and Cox17(3S-S), with three disulfide bridges, does not bind to any metal ions. The E(m) (midpoint redox potential) values for two redox couples of Cox17, Cox17(3S-S)<-->Cox17(2S-S) (E(m1)) and Cox17(2S-S)<-->Cox17(0S-S) (E(m2)), were determined to be -197 mV and -340 mV respectively. The data indicate that an equilibrium exists in the cytosol between Cox17(0S-S) and Cox17(2S-S), which is slightly shifted towards Cox17(0S-S). In the IMS (mitochondrial intermembrane space), the equilibrium is shifted towards Cox17(2S-S), enabling retention of Cox17(2S-S) in the IMS and leading to the formation of a biologically competent form of the Cox17 protein, Cox17(2S-S), capable of copper transfer to the copper chaperone Sco1. XAS (X-ray absorption spectroscopy) determined that Cu4Cox17 contains a Cu4S6-type copper-thiolate cluster, which may provide safe storage of an excess of copper ions.

We report the structure, properties and a mechanism for the catecholase activity of a tetranuclear carbonato-bridged copper(II) cluster with the macrocyclic ligand [22]pr4pz (9,22-dipropyl-1,4,9,14,17,22,27,28,29, 30-decaazapentacyclo[22.2.1.1(4,7).1(11,14). 1(17,20)]triacontane-5,7(28),11(29),12,18, 20(30),24(27),25-octaene). In this complex, two copper ions within a macrocyclic unit are bridged by a carbonate anion, which further connects two macrocyclic units together. Magnetic susceptibility studies have shown the existence of a ferromagnetic interaction between the two copper ions within one macrocyclic ring, and a weak antiferromagnetic interaction between the two neighboring copper ions of two different macrocyclic units. The tetranuclear complex was found to be the major compound present in solution at high concentration levels, but its dissociation into two dinuclear units occurs upon dilution. The dinuclear complex catalyzes the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol to the respective quinone in methanol by two different pathways, one proceeding via the formation of semiquinone species with the subsequent production of dihydrogen peroxide as a byproduct, and another proceeding via the two-electron reduction of the dicopper(II) center by the substrate, with two molecules of quinone and one molecule of water generated per one catalytic cycle. The occurrence of the first pathway was, however, found to cease shortly after the beginning of the catalytic reaction. The influence of hydrogen peroxide and di-tert-butyl-o-benzoquinone on the catalytic mechanism has been investigated. The crystal structures of the free ligand and the reduced dicopper(I) complex, as well as the electrochemical properties of both the Cu(II) and the Cu(I) complexes are also reported.

Three new unsymmetrical compartmental dinucleating ligands, 4-bromo-2-(4-methylpiperazin-1-ylmethyl)-6-[{2-(1-piperidyl)ethyl}aminomethyl]phenol (HL1), 4-bromo-2-(4-methylpiperazin-1-ylmethyl)-6-[{2-(morpholin-4-yl)ethyl}aminomethyl]phenol (HL2), and 4-bromo-2-(4-methylpiperazin-1-ylmethyl)-6-[{2-(thiomorpholin-4-yl)ethyl}aminomethyl]phenol (HL3), have been synthesized in order to model the active site of type 3 copper proteins. The dicopper(II) complexes of these ligands give first hints about the influence of a thioether group close to the metal site. The bromophenol-based ligands have one piperazine arm and one other bidentate arm in positions 2 and 6 of the phenolic ring, respectively. With each ligand a dinuclear copper(II) complex was prepared and structurally characterized. The copper ions were found to have square pyramidal environments and a mixture of endogenous phenoxo and exogenous acetate bridging. The influence of a heteroatom in one arm of the ligand on catecholase activity and speciation in solution was studied by UV/Vis spectroscopy, ESI-MS experiments and, DFT calculations.

The crystal structure of catechol oxidase reveals new insight into the functional properties of the type-3 copper proteins. This class of proteins includes the closely related and better-known tyrosinase as well as hemocyanin, an oxygen transport protein. All these proteins have a dinuclear copper center, have similar spectroscopic behaviors, and show close evolutionary and functional relationships. Comparison between the 3D structures of catechol oxidase and hemocyanins reveals the structural reasons for the divergence in function.

Abstract: The new asymmetric phenol-based N,O,S-ligand Hpy2th1as was prepared by the straightforward reductive amination of 3-{[bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino]methyl}-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde with (thiophen-2-yl)methylamine. This potentially hexadentate ligand was used to coordinate to copper(II) chloride. Two dinuclear copper complexes were thus synthesised and fully characterized. Although the two coordination compounds exhibit identical complex cations, the crystal packings of both molecules significantly differ, which is most likely induced by the distinct, but geometrically related anions, namely tetrachlorocuprate(II) and perchlorate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The reaction of copper(II) perchlorate with the macrocyclic ligand [22]py4pz in the presence of base leads to formation of a dinuclear complex [Cu2([22]py4pz)(μ-OH)](ClO4)3⋅H2O, in which two copper ions are bridged by a single μ-hydroxo bridge. Each copper ion is further surrounded by four nitrogen atoms of the ligand. The μ-hydroxo bridge mediates a strong antiferromagnetic coupling (2J =-691(35) cm-1) between the metal centers, leading to relatively sharp and well-resolved resonances in the ¹H NMR spectrum of the complex in solution. We herein report the crystal structure, the magnetic properties, and the full assignment of the hypertine-shifted resonances in the NMR spectrum of the complex, as well as the determination of the exchange coupling constant in solution through temperature-dependent NMR studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel hexanuclear copper complex [Cu6(NO3)12(opytrizediam)2(H2O)][(CH3)2CO]0.5(CH3CH2CH2OH)0.5 (1) with a NO3 bridge has been synthesized by reaction of Cu(NO3)2 · 3H2O with the new potentially octadentate ligand opytrizediam in n-propanol/acetone solution (opytrizediam=N,N′-{2,4-di[(di-pyridin-2-yl)amine]-1,3,5-triazine} ethylenediamine). A single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis showed the presence of six structurally different copper centres. The coordination spheres of four copper(II) ions are best described as square-pyramidal CuN2O3 chromophores while the two other copper(II) ions are in a trigonal-bipyramidal CuN4O environment. Variable-temperature studies on 1 revealed a unique ferromagnetic coupling of two copper(II) ions bridged by a didentate nitrate anion and separated by a distance of 6.391(6) A˚, with J=8.6(1) cm−1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]