Dioxygen-binding kinetics and thermodynamics of a series of dicopper(I) complexes with bis[2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl]amine tridendate chelators forming side-on peroxo-bridged dicopper(II) adducts.

Copper-dioxygen interactions are of interest due to their importance in biological systems as reversible O2- carriers, oxygenases, or oxidases and also because of their role in industrial and laboratory oxidation processes. Here we report on the kinetics (stopped-flow, -90 to 10 degrees C) of O2-binding to a series of dicopper(I) complexes, [Cu2(Nn)(MeCN)2]2+ (1Nn) (-(CH2)n- (n = 3-5) linked bis[(2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl]amine, PY2) and their close mononuclear analogue, [(MePY2)Cu(MeCN)]+ (3), which form mu-eta 2:eta 2-peroxodicopper(II) complexes [Cu2(Nn)-(O2)]2+ (2Nn) and [(MePY2)Cu]2(O2)]2+ (4), respectively. The overall kinetic mechanism involves initial reversible (k+,open/k-,open) formation of a nondetectable intermediate O2-adduct [Cu2(Nn)(O2)]2+ (open), suggested to be a CuI...CuII-O2- species, followed by its reversible closure (k+,closed/k-,closed) to form 2Nn. At higher temperatures (253 to 283 K), the first equilibrium lies far to the left and the observed rate law involves a simple reversible binding equilibrium process (kon,high = (k+,open/k-,open)(k+,closed)). From 213 to 233 K, the slow step in the oxygenation is the first reaction (kon,low = k+,open), and first-order behavior (in 1Nn and O2) is observed. For either temperature regime, the delta H++ for formation of 2Nn are low (delta H++ = -11 to 10 kJ/mol; kon,low = 1.1 x 10(3) to 4.1 x 10(3) M-1 s-1, kon,high = 2.2 x 10(3) to 2.8 x 10(4) M-1 s-1), reflecting the likely occurrence of preequilibria. The delta H degree ranges between -81 and -84 kJ mol-1 for the formation of 2Nn, and the corresponding equilibrium constant (K1) increases (3 x 10(8) to 5 x 10(10) M-1; 183 K) going from n = 3 to 5. Below 213 K, the half-life for formation of 2Nn increases with, rather than being independent of, the concentration of 1Nn, probably due to the oligomerization of 1Nn at these temperatures. The O2 reaction chemistry of 3 in CH2Cl2 is complicated, including the presence of induction periods, and could not be fully analyzed. However, qualitative comparisons show the expected slower intermolecular reaction of 3 with O2 compared to the intramolecular first-order reactions of 1Nn. Due to the likelihood of the partial dimerization of 3 in solution, the t1/2 for the formation of 4 remains constant with increasing complex concentration rather than decreasing. Acetonitrile significantly influences the kinetics of the O2 reactions with 1Nn and 3. For 1N4, the presence of MeCN inhibits the formation of a previously (Jung et al, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 3763-3764) observed intermediate. Small amounts of added MeCN considerably slow the oxygenation rates of 3, inhibit its full formation to 4, and increase the length of the induction period. The results for 1Nn and their mononuclear analogue 3 are presented, and they are compared with each other as well as with other dinucleating dicopper(I) systems.