Oxygen reaction with binuclear copper complexes

The reaction of binuclear copper complexes with oxygen as models for tyrosinase activity was also markedly accelerated by applying pressure (106408 ). Tyrosinase is a dinuclear copper protein which catalyses the hydroxylation of phenols. This reaction was first successfully modeled by Karlin and co-workers (109), who found that an intramolecular hydroxylation occurred when the binuclear Cu(I) complex of XYL-H was treated with oxygen (Scheme 5). 

Ethers in which at least one group is primary alkyl can be oxidized to the corresponding carboxylic esters in high yields with ruthenium tetroxide. Molecular oxygen with a binuclear copper (II) complex " or PdCVCuCVCO " also converts ethers to esters. Cyclic ethers give lactones. " The reaction, a special case of 19-14,... 

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