Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide in Presence of DimethylglyoximatoNickel Complexes as Catalysts: Catalase-Like Activity

Abstract

The development in coordination chemistry in recent years raise hopes that synthetically produced metal complexes could mimic many biochemical systems widely found in nature. There is a certain analogy between nature and organometallic systems. A large number of biological metal complexes are known, including oxygen carriers like hemoglobin in the blood, which contains a ferrous ion; respiratory enzymes; those involved in protein hydrolysis; and vitamin B12, which is only active in the presence of cobalt in the trivalent state. The Nickel (III), in addition to Fe-S clusters, was an essential component in hydrogenases. Since then, nickel (III) complexes have been used as models for studying the catalytic function of certain enzymes (hydrogenases). In this context, a study on the catalytic ability of dimethylglyoximato-nickel complexes as peroxiredoxases in the dismutation or oxidation of hydrogen peroxide was conducted. The results were discussed, commented upon, and a reaction mechanism was proposed. The results seem encouraging, regarding the effect of the complexation on catalase-like activity.