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| Author(s): |
Wendel Andrade Alves
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | São Paulo. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ) |
| Defense date: | 2001-02-15 |
| Examining board members: |
Ana Maria da Costa Ferreira;
Koiti Araki;
Antonio Eduardo Mauro
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| Advisor: | Ana Maria da Costa Ferreira |
| Abstract | |
Different copper(II) complexes containing an imidazole ligand, in addition to a discrete tridentate imine, were prepared as perchlorate salts, and characterized by spectroscopic techniques (UV/Vis, IR, Raman and EPR). In aqueous solution, these compounds are in equilibrium with the corresponding binuclear species, where the copper centres are bridged by an imidazolate ligand. In alkaline solutions, these binuclear species and a tetranuclear were also isolated, and characterised. Evidence of these equilibria in aqueous solution was obtained by spectroscopic measurements and capillary electrophoresis, at different pH. An equilibrium constant involving the mono- and binuclear species was estimated for one of the ligands. The catalytic activity of the obtained complexes toward the usual biological oxidants, hydrogen peroxide and molecular oxygen, were then compared. Most of the binuclear and tetranuclear compounds showed to be efficient catalysts of the aerobic oxidation of phenolic substrates to the corresponding quinones or diphenoquinones, followed spectrophotometrically. Kinetic results indicated a first-order dependence of the reaction rate on both the complex and the phenol concentrations. On the other hand, an appreciable activity of the mononuclear compounds was verified on the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. This reaction was monitored manometrically by the oxygen released, and was shown to be very dependent on the pH. Additionally, in this case, very reactive oxygen radicals were detected at the first stages of the reaction, by spin trapping EPR. Spectroscopic parameters and structural features in these complexes seem to be determinant of their reactivity toward the studied biological oxidants. (AU) | |