Manganese(II) semiquinonato and manganese(III) catecholato complexes with tridentate ligand: modeling the substrate-binding state of manganese-dependent catechol dioxygenase and reactivity with molecular oxygen.

Catecholate catwalk: Monomeric manganese(III) catecholato and manganese(II) semiquinonato complexes as the substrate-binding model of catechol dioxygenase have been synthesized and structurally characterized. The semiquinonato complex reacted with molecular oxygen to give ring-cleaved products and benzoquinone in the catalytic condition.