Synthesis, structure, spirocyclization mechanism, and glutathione peroxidase-like antioxidant activity of stable spirodiazaselenurane and spirodiazatellurane

J Am Chem Soc. 2010 Apr 21;132(15):5364-74. doi: 10.1021/ja908080u.

Abstract

The first examples of stable spirodiazaselenurane and spirodiazatellurane were synthesized by oxidative spirocyclization of the corresponding diaryl selenide and telluride and were structurally characterized. X-ray crystal structures of the spirodiazaselenurane and spirodiazatellurane suggest that the structures are distorted trigonal bipyramidal (TBP) with the electronegative nitrogen atoms occupying the apical positions and two carbon atoms and the lone pair of Se/Te occupying the equatorial positions. Interestingly, the spirodiazatellurane underwent spontaneous chiral resolution during crystallization, and the absolute configurations of its enantiomers were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analyses. A detailed mechanistic study indicates that the cyclization to spirodiazaselenurane and spirodiazatellurane occurs via selenoxide and telluroxide intermediates. The chalcogenoxides cyclize to the corresponding spiro compounds in a stepwise manner via the involvement of hydroxyl chalcogenurane intermediates, and the activation energy for the spirocyclization reaction decreases in the order S > Se > Te. In addition to the synthesis, characterization, and mechanism of cyclization, the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) mimetic activity of the newly synthesized compounds was evaluated. These studies suggest that the tellurium compounds are more effective as GPx mimics than their selenium counterparts due to the fast oxidation of the tellurium center in the presence of peroxide and the involvement of an efficient redox cycle between the telluride and telluroxide intermediate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antioxidants / chemical synthesis*
  • Antioxidants / metabolism
  • Cyclization
  • Free Radical Scavengers / chemical synthesis
  • Glutathione Peroxidase / metabolism*
  • Organometallic Compounds / chemical synthesis*
  • Organometallic Compounds / metabolism
  • Organoselenium Compounds / chemical synthesis*
  • Organoselenium Compounds / metabolism
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Peroxynitrous Acid / chemistry
  • Selenium
  • Tellurium
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Free Radical Scavengers
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Organoselenium Compounds
  • spirodiazaselenurane
  • spirodiazatellurane
  • Peroxynitrous Acid
  • Glutathione Peroxidase
  • Selenium
  • Tellurium