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Date Permissions Signed

4-28-2016

Date of Award

Spring 2016

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Chemistry

First Advisor

Gilbertson, John D.

Second Advisor

Murphy, Amanda R.

Third Advisor

Rider, David A. (Materials scientist)

Abstract

The activation of small molecules has been studied by the scientific field for many decades as it plays a key role in nature such as photosynthesis and respiration. Many of these reactions are catalyzed by metalloenzymes in nature where the transfer of electrons and protons are coupled for the reaction to move forward. Noncovalent interactions in the secondary coordination sphere of metalloenzymes play an important role in determining the activity and selectivity. Hydrogen bonds are the most common noncovalent interactions that metalloenzymes utilize to control the reactivity in the secondary coordination sphere. Therefore, it is important to develop compounds and catalysts that can move both protons and electrons. Recent studies have been done by several groups on the mechanism of nitrite reduction. Based on those findings, we developed a series of iron (II) pyridinediimine (PDI) complexes that contain pendant bases, with varying pKa values, located in the secondary coordination sphere. These ligands were synthesized, coordinated to iron (II) and reduced under carbon monoxide (CO) to store electrons within the ligand scaffold. These reduced complexes were then protonated to form hydrogen bonds and fine tune the reactivity. These PDI complexes that are capable of storing both electrons and protons were investigated to functionally mimic the metalloenzyme nitrite reductase. To date, the mechanism of nitrite reduction remains unknown. In an attempt to determine how nitrite binds to the metal of our PDI complex, we synthesized a dinitrosyl iron complex. The synthesis of this complex should help to determine the mechanism of nitrite reduction.

Type

Text

DOI

https://doi.org/10.25710/28bn-wq27

Publisher

Western Washington University

OCLC Number

948510681

Subject – LCSH

Iron catalysts; Denitrification; Nitrites; Metalloenzymes

Format

application/pdf

Genre/Form

masters theses

Language

English

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this thesis for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.

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