OXYGEN ATOM TRANSFER REACTIONS OF NICKEL AND PALLADIUM NITRO COMPLEXES.

The reactions of nitro complexes of nickel and palladium with CO have been examined to determine the mechanism(s) by which CO₂ is produced. The solution and solid state structures of square planar Ni(NO₂)₂(L)₂ reactants and pseudotetrahedral Ni(NO₂)(NO)(L)₂ products have been determined and related to their reactivity. Infrared, ³¹P{¹H}, and crystallographic data indicate rapid isomerization between nitro and nitrito bonding modes of the NO⁻₂ ligands. The crystal structures of Ni(NO₂)₂(PPh₂(Ch₂)₂PPh₂) (I), Ni(NO₂) (NO) (PMe₃)₂ (II), and [Ni(ONO) (NO) (PPh₂(CH₂)₂PPh₂]₂ (III), show the NO⁻₂ groups to be N-bonded in I and II and O-bonded in III. The nitrosyl ligands in II and III are non-linear (Ni-N-O = 165.5(8) ° and 153.4(8) °, respectively). Furthermore, III crystallizes as a dimer bridged by two phosphine ligands even though molecular weights show this complex to be monomeric in solution. Each Ni(NO₂) (NO) (L)₂ complex reacts with CO to produce stoichiometric amounts of Ni(NO₂) (NO) (L)₂ and CO₂. Rate date indicate the reaction proceeds associatively through formation of a carbonyl intermediate which has been directly observed in the reaction of Ni(NO₂)₂(P(C₆H₁₁)₃)₂ with CO. The reaction of C¹⁸O with Ni(NO₂)₂(PMe₃)₂ results in no incorporation of ¹⁸O into the nickel product while ¹⁸O is incorporated into CO₂ to form ¹⁸OC¹⁶O. The mechanism consistent with all of the data involves a rapid equilibrium between both forms of NO⁻₂ coordination followed by the reaction of CO with either isomer in the rate determining step to form a monocarbonyl complex. Irreversible oxygen atom transfer to CO and loss of CO₂ terminate the reaction. The corresponding square planar palladium complexes, Pd(NO₂)₂L₂, react with CO to form N₂O, CO₂ and novel tetranuclear palladium clusters (Pd₄(CO)₅L₄). A crystal structure of Pd₄(CO)₅ - (PMePh₂)₄ shows the cluster to be a distorted tetrahedron of metal atoms with one open edge and the five remaining edges each bridged by a carbonyl group

TRANSIENT KINETICS OF ELECTRON TRANSFER REACTIONS OF FLAVODOXIN (CLOSTRIDIUM, PASTEURIANUM).

Electron transfer reactions between Clostridium pasteurianum flavodoxin semiquinone and various oxidants (horse heart cytochrome c, ferricyanide, and ferric EDTA) have been studied as a function of ionic strength using stopped-flow spectrophotometry. The cytochrome c reaction is complicated by the existence of two cytochrome species which react at different rates and whose relative concentrations are ionic strength dependent. Only the faster of these two reactions is considered here. At low ionic strength, complex formation between cytochrome c and flavodoxin is indicated by a levelling-off of the pseudo-first order rate constant at high cytochrome c concentration. This is not observed for either ferricyanide or ferric EDTA. For cytochrome c, the rate and association constants for complex formation were found to increase with decreasing ionic strength, consistent with negative charges on flavodoxin interacting with the positively charged cytochrome electron transfer site. Both ferricyanide and ferric EDTA are negatively charged oxidants and the rate data respond to ionic strength changes as would be predicted for reactants of the same charge sign. These results demonstrate that electrostatic interactions involving negatively charged groups are important in orienting flavodoxin with respect to oxidants during electron transfer. The effects of structural modifications of the FMN prosthetic group of C. pasteurianum flavodoxin on the kinetics of electron transfer to the oxidized form (from 5-deazariboflavin semiquinone produced by laser flash photolysis) and from the semiquinone form (to horse heart cytochrome c using stopped-flow spectrophotometry) have been investigated. The analogs used were 7,8-dichloroFMN, 8-chloroFMN, 7-chloroFMN and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroFMN. The ionic strength dependence of cytochrome c reduction was not affected by chlorine substitution, although the specific rate constants for complex formation and decay were appreciably smaller. On the other hand, all of the chlorine analogs had the same rate constant for deazariboflavin semiquinone oxidation. The rate constants for tetrahydroFMN flavodoxin semiquinone reduction of cytochrome c were considerably smaller than those for the native protein. The results for the chlorine analogs indicate the important roles that the polarity of the exposed flavin edge and the substitution of the 8 position play in electron transfer. The data obtained with the tetrahydroFMN analog indicates that the (pi) electron system of the flavin is necessary for rapid electron transfer. These implications are discussed for the electron transfer mechanism of flavodoxin

Lenalidomide-induced elevated bilirubin

Lenalidomide is an immunomodulator used to treat 5q-myelodysplastic syndrome, myelofibrosis, and multiple myeloma. We describe a 55-year-old male who was started on lenalidomide 10 mg daily for 21 days followed by 7 days off therapy for the treatment of early stage post-polycythemia vera myelofibrosis. Following initiation of lenalidomide, the patient was noted to have an asymptomatic increase in unconjugated bilirubin. Alkaline phosphatase, aspartate transaminase, and alanine aminotransferase were normal. During the 7 days off of lenalidomide, bilirubin began to trend down. Re-challenge with lenalidomide in subsequent cycles results in an asymptomatic elevation in unconjugated bilirubin followed by improvement during the 7-day lenalidomide-free period. The patient is a heterozygote for the TA7 allele which can decrease expression of uridine diphosphate glycuronosyl transferase 1A1, the enzyme responsible for conjugation of bilirubin. Therapy with lenalidomide may have unmasked Gilbert’s syndrome in the patient. </jats:p