Design and UnmaSking of Trivalent copper for catalYsis

During this project, we explored the interconversion between distinct electronic structures, Cu(III)(phenolate) and Cu(II)(phenoxyl), in model complexes of galactose oxidase designed to catalyze the aerobic oxidation of alcohols. By optimizing the design, we synthesized and fully characterized each of the two electronic isomers using spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and quantum chemistry. We demonstrated an easy conversion of the Cu(III) species, when it serves as the starting electronic isomer, into a Cu(II) radical in the presence of a substrate. All the complexes proved to be catalysts with distinct efficiency and chemoselectivity.