Enhancing Tris(pyrazolyl)borate‐Based Models of Cysteine/Cysteamine Dioxygenases through Steric Effects: Increased Reactivities, Full Product Characterization and Hints to Initial Superoxide Formation

The design of biomimetic model complexes for the cysteine dioxygenase (CDO) and cysteamine dioxygenase (ADO) is reported, where the 3‐His coordination of the iron ion is simulated by three pyrazole donors of a trispyrazolyl borate ligand (Tp) and protected cysteine and cysteamine represent substrate ligands. It is found that the replacement of phenyl groups—attached at the 3‐positions of the pyrazole units in a previous model—by mesityl residues has massive consequences, as the latter arrange to a more spacious reaction pocket. Thus, the reaction with O(2) proceeds much faster and afterwards the first structural characterization of an iron(II) η (2)‐O,O‐sulfinate product became possible. If one of the three Tp‐mesityl groups is placed in the 5‐position, an even larger reaction pocket results, which leads to yet faster rates and accumulation of a reaction intermediate at low temperatures, as shown by UV/Vis and Mössbauer spectroscopy. After comparison with the results of investigations on the cobalt analogues this intermediate is tentatively assigned to an iron(III) superoxide species.