Three new mononuclear nickel(II) complexes, namely, [NiL(1)(H2O)3]I2·H2O (1), [NiL(1)(H2O)3]Br2·H2O (2), and [NiL(1)(H2O)3]Cl2·2H2O (3) [HL(1) = 2-[(2-piperazin-1-ylethylimino)methyl]phenol], have been synthesized and structurally characterized. Structural characterization reveals that they possess similar structure: [NiL(1)(H2O)3](2+) complex cations, two halide counteranions, and lattice water molecules. One of the nitrogen atoms of the piperazine moiety is protonated to provide electrical neutrality to the system, a consequence observed in earlier studies (Inorg. Chem. 2010, 49, 3121; Polyhedron 2013, 52, 669). Catecholase-like activity has been investigated in methanol by a UV-vis spectrophotometric study using 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (3,5-DTBC) as the model substrate. Complexes 1 and 2 are highly active, but surprisingly 3 is totally inactive. The coordination chemistries of 1 and 2 remain unchanged in solution, whereas 3 behaves as a 1:1 electrolyte, as is evident from the conductivity study. Because of coordination of the chloride ligand to the metal in solution, it is proposed that 3,5-DTBC is not able to effectively approach an electrically neutral metal, and consequently complex 3 in solution does not show catecholase-like activity. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations corroborate well with the experimental observations and thus, in turn, support the proposed hypothesis of inactivity of 3. The cyclic voltametric study as well as DFT calculations suggests the possibility of a ligand-centered reduction at -1.1 V vs Ag/AgCl electrode. An electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiment unambiguously hints at the generation of a radical from EPR-inactive 1 and 2 in the presence of 3,5-DTBC. Generation of H2O2 during catalysis has also been confirmed. DFT calculations support the ligand-centered radical generation, and thus a radical mechanism has been proposed for the catecholase-like activity exhibited by 1 and 2. Upon heating, 2 and 3 lose water molecules in two steps (first lattice waters, followed by coordinating water molecules), whereas 3 loses four water molecules in a single step, as revealed from thermogravimetric analysis. The totally dehydrated species are red, in all cases having square-planar geometry, and have amorphous nature, as is evident from a variable-temperature powder X-ray diffraction study.

A library of 15 dicopper complexes as synthetic analogues of catechol oxidase has been synthesized with the aim to determine the relationship between the electrochemical behavior of the dicopper(II) species in the absence as well as in the presence of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (3,5-DTBC) as model substrate and the catalytic activity, kcat, in DMSO medium. The complexes have been characterized by routine physicochemical techniques as well as by X-ray single-crystal structure analysis in some cases. Fifteen "end-off" compartmental ligands have been designed as 1 + 2 Schiff-base condensation product of 2,6-diformyl-4-R-phenol (R = Me, (t)Bu, and Cl) and five different amines, N-(2-aminoethyl)piperazine, N-(2-aminoethyl)pyrrolidine, N-(2-aminoethyl)morpholine, N-(3-aminopropyl)morpholine, and N-(2-aminoethyl)piperidine. Interestingly, in case of the combination of 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenol and N-(2-aminoethyl)morpholine/N-(3-aminopropyl)morpholine/N-(2-aminoethyl)piperidine 1 + 1 condensation becomes the reality and the ligands are denoted as L2(1-3). On reaction of copper(II) nitrate with L2(1-3) in situ complexes 3, 12, and 13 are formed having general formula Cu2(L2(1-3))2(NO3)2. The remaining 12 ligands obtained as 1 + 2 condensation products are denoted as L1(1-12), which produce complexes having general formula Cu2(L1(1-12))(NO3)2. Catecholase activity of all 15 complexes has been investigated in DMSO medium using 3,5-DTBC as model substrate. Treatment on the basis of Michaelis-Menten model has been applied for kinetic study, and thereby turnover number, kcat, values have been evaluated. Cyclic voltametric (CV) and differential pulse voltametric (DPV) studies of the complexes in the presence as well as in the absence of 3,5-DTBC have been thoroughly investigated in DMSO medium. From those studies it is evident that oxidation of 3,5-DTBC catalyzed by dicopper(II) complexes proceed via two steps: first, semibenzoquinone followed by benzoquinone with concomitant reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I). Our study reveals that apparently there is nearly no linear relationship between kcat and E° values of the complexes. However, a detailed density functional theory (DFT) calculation sheds light on this subject. A very good correlation prevails in terms of the energetics associated with the Cu(II) to Cu(I) reduction process and kcat values, as revealed from the combined theoretical and experimental approach.

A Cu(ii) complex, [Cu(L1Hpy)Cl]2(ClO4)2, of a tridentate pyridoxal Schiff base shows exceptionally high catalytic efficiency (kcat = 3.46 × 105 h−1) for catecholase activity in MeOH solution, the highest value reported in literature so far.

Catecholase activity has been explored by combined experimental and theoretical approaches using di-copper(ii) complexes of Mannich-base ligands.