Nonsymmetric substitution of salen (1(R(1),R(2))) and reduced salen (2(R(1),R(2))) Cu(II)-phenoxyl complexes with a combination of -(t)Bu, -S(i)Pr, and -OMe substituents leads to dramatic differences in their redox and spectroscopic properties, providing insight into the influence of the cysteine-modified tyrosine cofactor in the enzyme galactose oxidase (GO). Using a modified Marcus-Hush analysis, the oxidized copper complexes are characterized as Class II mixed-valent due to the electronic differentiation between the two substituted phenolates. Sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) assesses the degree of radical delocalization onto the single sulfur atom of nonsymmetric [1((t)Bu,SMe)](+) at 7%, consistent with other spectroscopic and electrochemical results that suggest preferential oxidation of the -SMe bearing phenolate. Estimates of the thermodynamic free-energy difference between the two localized states (ΔG(o)) and reorganizational energies (λ(R(1)R(2))) of [1(R(1),R(2))](+) and [2(R(1),R(2))](+) lead to accurate predictions of the spectroscopically observed IVCT transition energies. Application of the modified Marcus-Hush analysis to GO using parameters determined for [2(R(1),R(2))](+) predicts a ν(max) of ∼13600 cm(-1), well within the energy range of the broad Vis-NIR band displayed by the enzyme.
© 2012 American Chemical Society