Bio-mimetic of catecholase and phosphatase activity by a tetra-iron(III) cluster

Abstract

An oxido- and acetato-bridged tetranuclear iron(III) cluster, [Fe4III(µ-O)2(µ-OAc)6(phen)2(H2O)2](NO3)2·(H2O)3 (1), [OAc = acetate; phen = 1,10-phenanthroline] has been prepared in the crystalline phase. X-ray structural analysis of the compound reveals that all the Fe(III) centres in 1 adopt an octahedral coordination geometry and the tetra-iron(III) core exists in an unusual asymmetric conformation. Bond valence sum (BVS) calculations recommend the existence of all iron ions in the +3 oxidation state in the crystalline phase. The tetra-iron(III) cluster elegantly catalyzes the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (DTBC), viz. catecholase-like activity, with a good turnover number, kcat = 9.28 × 102 h−1 in acetonitrile medium. Spectrophotometric titration shows the existence of two distinct isosbestic points, which unanimously proves the rarely observed enzyme-substrate binding phenomenon in solution. Electrochemical analysis recommends the production of Fe(II)–semiquinone species in the course of the catalytic oxidation of DTBC. Furthermore, the same iron(III) cluster displays phosphoester cleavage activity towards the disodium salt of p-nitrophenylphosphate (PNPP) in aqueous-methanol medium with rate of 7.20 × 10−4 m−1. ESI-MS measurements of the tetra-iron(III) complex in the presence of PNPP indicate the formation of an organophosphorus intermediate in solution and solvent aqua molecules probably make a nucleophilic attack on the phosphorus centre, favouring the generation of the organophosphorus intermediate.