Modulation of Phenol Oxidation in Cofacial Dyads

J Am Chem Soc. 2015 Sep 23;137(37):11860-3. doi: 10.1021/jacs.5b05955. Epub 2015 Sep 9.

Abstract

The presentation of two phenols on a xanthene backbone is akin to the tyrosine dyad (Y730 and Y731) of ribonucleotide reductase. X-ray crystallography reveals that the two phenol moieties are cofacially disposed at 4.35 Å. Cyclic voltammetry reveals that phenol oxidation is modulated within the dyad, which exhibits a splitting of one-electron waves with the second oxidation of the phenol dyad occurring at larger positive potential than that of a typical phenol. In contrast, a single phenol appended to a xanthene exhibits a two-electron process, consistent with reported oxidation pathways of phenols in acetonitrile. The perturbation of the phenol potential by stacking is reminiscent of a similar effect for guanines stacked within DNA base pairs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Electron Transport
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Phenol / chemistry*
  • Ribonucleotide Reductases / chemistry
  • Tyrosine / chemistry
  • Xanthenes / chemistry*

Substances

  • Xanthenes
  • Phenol
  • Tyrosine
  • Ribonucleotide Reductases