The oxidation of N-substituted aromatic amines by horseradish peroxidase.

The mechanism of N-dealkylation by peroxidases of the Ca2+ indicator quin2 and analogs was investigated and compared with the mechanism of N-dealkylation of some N-methyl-substituted aromatic amines. Nitrogen-centered cation radicals were detected by ESR spectroscopy for all the compounds studied. Further oxidation of the nitrogen-centered cation radicals, however, was dependent upon the structure of the radical formed. In the case of quin2 and analogs, a carbon-centered radical could be detected using the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide. By using the spin trap 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane (tert-nitrosobutane), it was determined that the carbon-centered radical was formed due to loss of a carboxylic acid group. This indicated that bond breakage most likely occurred through a rearrangement reaction. Furthermore, extensive oxygen consumption was detected, which was in agreement with the formation of carbon-centered radicals, as they avidly react with molecular oxygen. Thus, reaction of the carbon-centered radical with oxygen most likely led to the formation of a peroxyl radical. The peroxyl radical decomposed into superoxide that was spin trapped by 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide and an unstable iminium cation. The iminium cation would subsequently hydrolyze to the monomethyl amine and formaldehyde. In the case of N-methyl-substituted aromatic amines, carbon-centered radicals were not detected during the peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of these compounds. Thus, rearrangement of the nitrogen-centered radical did not occur. Furthermore, little or no oxygen consumption was detected, whereas formaldehyde was formed in all cases. These results indicated that the N-methyl-substituted amines were oxidized by a mechanism different from the mechanism found for quin2 and analogs.