Takanori Aono, Hisae Wada, Masami Yonemura, Masaaki Ohba, Hisashi Ōkawa and David E. Fenton
A dinuclear manganese(II) complex
[Mn2L4,4(O2CMe)2] has been
prepared and its structure, properties and catalase-like function
studied in comparison with the analogous
[Mn2Lm,n(O2
CMe)2] [m,n = 2,3; 2,4; or
3,3; (Lm,n)2-
denotes macrocycles containing two
2,6-bis(iminomethyl)-4-methylphenolate entities bridged through two
lateral chains, (CH2)m and
(CH2)n, at the imino nitrogens]. In the
centrosymmetric
[Mn2L4,4(O2CMe)2] a pair of
manganese(II) ions are bridged by two phenolic oxygens of
(L4,4)2- in the equatorial plane and by two
acetate groups at the axial sites. The configuration about each Mn is
pseudo-octahedral. The
Mn · · · Mn separation is
2.978(1) Å. Cryomagnetic studies (4.2–300 K)
indicated a significantly strong antiferromagnetic interaction
(J = -5.0 cm-1 based on
H = -2JS1S
2). The complex is oxidized at +0.35 V (vs.
saturated calomel electrode) at a platinum electrode to a
Mn2II,III complex. It catalyses the
disproportionation of hydrogen peroxide in aqueous dimethylformamide.
Based on ESR and visible spectroscopic studies, a catalytic mechanism
involving the interconversion between
MnIIMnIII(OH) and
MnIIMnIV(O) species is proposed.