| 1. |
- Johansson, Adam Johannes, 1976-
(författare)
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Biomimetic Transition Metal Catalysts : Insights from Theoretical Modeling
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The scientific interest in the chemistry of synthetic transition metal complexes is motivated by at least two arguments:1.These can be regarded as models of biological transition metal complexes, e.g. metalloenzymes, whose functions can be difficult to reveal in detail due to their complexity.2.Transition metal complexes are used for catalytic purposes in the industrial synthesis of chemicals. There is a large potential for further development of this technology, which can be motivated both by economic and environmental arguments.In the present thesis, density functional theory (a quantum mechanical method) has been applied to model reactions involving synthetic iron and copper complexes in solution. The complexity of the solvent environment is a challenging problem for theoretical investigations and a significant part of the theses has been to investigate the mechanistic effects of metal-coordinating solvent molecules, Lewis bases and counter ions. For example, it is explained why the cleavage of the O-O bond in heme-diiron-peroxides is faster in the presence of a coordinating Lewis base. Furthermore, the experimentally observed structure-activity relationship between the Fe(III)(µ-O)2Fe(IV) and (H2O)Fe(III)(µ-O)Fe(IV)O motifs is given an explanation. In addition, the present thesis presents a systematic investigation of how the self-interaction error in density functional theory (DFT) affects the modeling of transition metal catalysis.
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| 2. |
- Noack, Holger, 1976-
(författare)
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Biomimetic Iron Complexes involved in Oxygenation and Chlorination : A Theoretical Study
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Biomimetic chemistry is directed towards the simulation of enzymatic reactivity with synthetic analogues. In this thesis a quantum chemical method has been employed to study the mechanism of highly reactive iron-oxo complexes involved in oxygenation and chlorination of organic substrates. The aim of this research is to gain greater understanding for the reactivity paradigm of the iron-oxo group. One reaction deals with the conversion of cyclohexane into adipic acid, a key chemical in industrial chemistry, catalyzed by an iron(II)-porphyrin complex in the presence of dioxygen. This process constitutes a ’green’ alternative to conventional adipic acid production, and is thus of great interest to synthetic chemistry. Another reaction investigated herein regards the selective chlorination observed for a new group of non-heme iron enzymes. With help of theoretical modeling it was possible to propose a mechanism that explains the observed selectivity. It is furthermore demonstrated how a biomimetic iron complex simulates the enzymatic reactivity by a different mechanism. Other topics covered in this thesis regard the structure-reactivity relationship of a binuclear iron complex and the intradiol C-C bond cleavage of catechol catalyzed by an iron(III) complex.
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| 3. |
- Georgiev, Valentin, 1976-
(författare)
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Reaction Mechanisms of Metalloenzymes and Synthetic Model Complexes Activating Dioxygen : A Computational study
- 2009
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Quantum chemistry has nowadays become a powerful and efficient tool that can be successfully used for studies of biosystems. It is therefore possibleto model the enzyme active-site and the reactions undergoing into it, as well as obtaining quite accurate energetic profiles. Important conclusions can be drawn from such profiles about the plausibility of different putative mechanisms. Density Functional Theory is used in the present thesis for investigation of the catalytic mechanism of dioxygenase metallo-enzymes and synthetic model complexes. Three enzymes were studied – Homoprotocatechuate 2,3-dioxygenase isolated from Brevibacterium fuscum (Bf 2,3-HPCD), Manganese-Dependent Homoprotocatechuate 2,3-Dioxygenase (MndD) and Homogentisate Dioxygenase (HGD). Models consisting of 55 to 208 atoms have been built from X-ray crystal structures and used in the calculations. The computed energies were put in energy curves and were used for estimation of the feasibility of the suggested reaction mechanisms. A non-heme [(L4Me4)Fe(III)]+3 complex that mimics the reactivity of intradiol dioxygenases, and a heme [T(o-Cl)PPFe] complex catalyzing the stepwise oxidation of cyclohexane to adipic acid, were also studied. For the enzymes and the non-heme biomimetic complex the reaction was found to follow a mechanism that was previously suggested for extradiol and intradiol dioxygenases – ordered substrates binding and formation of peroxo species, which further undergoes homolytic O-O bond cleavage. Different reaction steps appear to be rate limiting in the particular cases: proton transfer from the substrate to the peroxide in Bf 2,3-HPCD, the formation of the peroxo bridge in HGD and the biomimetic complex, and notably, spin transition in MndD. The catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane to adipic acid in the presence of molecular oxygen as oxidant was studied, a reaction of great importance for the chemical industry. Reaction mechanism is suggested, involving several consecutive oxidative steps. The highest calculated enthalpy of activation is 17.8 kcal/mol for the second oxidative step.
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