Modeling non-heme iron proteins.

Synthetic modeling studies of non-heme iron proteins continue to contribute to our understanding of the mechanism of these proteins. Recently, mononuclear Fe(IV)=O complexes have been prepared and characterized to model the same species that are proposed to be the reactive intermediates in reactions involving mononuclear non-heme iron proteins. Generation of such species for the oxidation of organic substrates has also been demonstrated. Other advances include successful modeling of the structural and functional aspects of diiron non-heme proteins with the use of terphenyl-based carboxylate ligands and the development of several iron-based reagents that catalyze oxidation reactions with the use of various oxidants, including dioxygen.