Investigação computacional do mecanismo de quebra hidrolítica de ésteres de fosfato catalisado por um modelo biomimético da catecol oxidase

Abstract

In this thesis the theoretical investigation of the hydrolytic cleavage mechanism of a phosphate diester, BDNPP [bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl)phosphate] in the active site of the dinuclear copper complex, labelled as R1, has been proposed. The metal complex was originally designed to mimic the active site structure as well the catalytic properties of catechol oxidase, revealing an interesting case of catalytic promiscuity in biomimetic systems. The mechanistic possibilities have been carefully evaluated through Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations in gas phase and in aqueous solution using continuum solvation models with single point calculations within the Polarizable continuum model (PCM). Two reaction mechanisms have been proposed. The Mechanism 1 (Concerted) is a SN2 type mechanism which involves the direct attack of the µ-OH bridge between the two copper(II) ions towards the phosphorus center whereas, the Mechanism 2 (Associative) occurs through two successive proton transferences between the oxygen atom of the bridging hydroxo ligand and another oxygen atom of the phosphate model forming a stable pentacoordinate intermediate. There are two reactions paths for Mechanism 1 to release the DNPP (2,4-dinitrophenylphosphate) ion generated after the hydrolytic cleavage. The first reaction path (p1) involves a proton transfer immediately after the hydrolytic cleavage, being the proton transfer the rate-determining step, followed by the entry of two water molecules. The second reaction path (p2) comprises the entry of two water molecules just after the hydrolytic cleavage without any proton transfer, being the hydrolytic cleavage the rate limiting step. The most probable catalytic path occurs via Mechanism 1, following the second reaction path (p2) once it involves the lowest free energies activation barrier (ΔG‡ = 23.7 kcal mol-1, in aqueous solution). The experimental rate constant, Kobs is 1.7 × 10-5 s-1, indicating that the calculated value, (K1 = 2.6 × 10-5 s-1) is in a very good accordance with the experimental value. Kinetic Isotope Effect (KIE) analysis for the second reaction path (p2) within the Mechanism 1 has also been considered in order to understand the changes taking place in TS1-i (transition state of Mechanism 1) and perfectly characterize the mechanism here described. The solvent effect using explicit water molecules were evaluated in a preliminary fashion for one structure within the catalytic cycle of hydrolytic cleavage of phosphate ester, using the Monte Carlo method.

The obtained results allows a detailed analysis of the water molecules organization around the complex, serving as a starting point for an more elaborated study of the reaction mechanisms by using explicit solvent models. The oxidation of catechols – represented herein by the model substrate, 3,5-di-tercbuthylcatechol (DTBC) – in the active site of the R1 complex were evaluated by using quantum-mechanical calculations. The results are not conclusive for the kinetic, but the structural aspects for the main species in the catalytic cycle were studied.