Reactivity of Peroxo- and Bis(μ-oxo)dicopper Complexes with Catechols
Abstract
A new pathway to CuII-semiquinato complexes was established that differs from the anticipated generation of quinone and bis(μ-hydroxo)dicopper products: Mononuclear CuII-semiquinato complexes were isolated in high yield from the reactions of catechols with (μ-η2:η2-peroxo)- and bis(μ-oxo)dicopper complexes [Eq. (1)] that are relevant to tyrosinase and catechol oxidase active site species.