Methyl cobalamin

As a model study of methyl cobalamine (methyl transfer) in living bodies, a methyl radical, generated by the reduction of the /s(dimethylglyoximato)(pyridine)Co3+ complex to its Co1+ complex, reacts on the sulfur atom of thiolester via SH2 to generate an acyl radical and methyl sulfide. The formed methyl radical can be trapped by TEMPO or activated olefins [8-13]. As a radical character of real vitamin B12, the addition of zinc to a mixture of alkyl bromide (5) and dimethyl fumarate in the presence of real vitamin B12 at room temperature provides a C-C bonded product (6), through the initial reduction of Co3+ to Co1+ by zinc, reaction of Co1+ with alkyl bromide to form R-Co bond, its homolytic bond cleavage to form an alkyl radical, and finally the addition of the alkyl radical to diethyl fumarate, as shown in eq. 11.4 [14]. 

Figure 21-3. The methionine synthase reaction. Methionine synthase catalyzes the remethylation of homocysteine to methionine. In the first half reaction (1), a methyl group is transferred from 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) to the reduced form of cobalamin [Cob(I)], generating methyl-cobalamin [Methyl-Cob(III)] and tetrahydrofolate (THF). During the second half reaction (2), the methyl group is transferred from methylcobalamin to homocysteine, generating methionine. During the catalytic reaction, Cob(I) occasionally becomes oxidized, producing an inactive form of cobalamin, cob(II)alamin [Cob(II)]. The enzyme methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) then reactivates Cob(II) through reductive methylation, producing methyl-Cob(III). SAM, 5-adenosylmethionine SAH, 5-adeno-sylhomocysteine.

Hagemeier C, Krtier M, Thauer RK, Warkentin E, Ermler U. Insight into the mechanism of biological methanol activation based on the crystal structure of the methanol-cobalamin methyl-transferase complex. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2006 103 18017-18022. 

Attempts have been made to mimic the above reactions under nonenzymatic conditions. Methylcobalamin methylates homocysteine, but the reaction is a free radical process . Also, MeH4THF does not methylate cobaloxime(I) or Bj2s. AI-Methylamines are also unreactive toward Co(I) species. Tetraalkylammonium compounds alkylate Co(I) nucleophiles to form alkylcobalt compounds" it is possible that MeH4THF is protonated by the enzyme and Ais methylates the cobalamin. Methylation in low yield of cobalamin(I) by MeH4THF at low pH has been disputed. ... 

For the reaction with methyl cobalamin (methyl vitamin B12), see From Lead(ll) and Lead(IV) Compounds and CH3I or Other Methylating Agents , p. 71. 

Metabolism and Mobilization. On entry of vitamin B 2 into the cell, considerable metaboHsm of the vitamin takes place. Co(III)cobalamin is reduced to Co(I)cobalamin, which is either methylated to form methylcobalamin or converted to adenosylcobalamin (coenzyme B>22)- The methylation requires methyl tetrahydrofolate. 

Mechanistic aspects of the action of folate-requiring enzymes involve one-carbon unit transfer at the oxidation level of formaldehyde, formate and methyl (78ACR314, 8OMI2I6OO) and are exemplified in pyrimidine and purine biosynthesis. A more complex mechanism has to be suggested for the methyl transfer from 5-methyl-THF (322) to homocysteine, since this transmethylation reaction is cobalamine-dependent to form methionine in E. coli. 

Vitamin B12 (Fig. 1) is defined as a group of cobalt-containing conoids known as cobalamins. The common features of the vitamers are a corrin ting (four reduced pyrrole rings) with cobalt as the central atom, a nucleotide-like compound and a variable ligand. Vitamin B12 is exceptional in as far as it is the only vitamin containing a metal-ion. The vitamers present in biological systems are hydroxo-, aquo-, methyl-, and 5 -deoxyadenosylcobalamin. 

Schrauzer and co-workers have studied the kinetics of alkylation of Co(I) complexes by organic halides (RX) and have examined the effect of changing R, X, the equatorial, and axial ligands 148, 147). Some of their rate constants are given in Table II. They show that the rates vary with X in the order Cl < Br < I and with R in the order methyl > other primary alkyls > secondary alkyls. Moreover, the rate can be enhanced by substituents such as Ph, CN, and OMe. tert-Butyl chloride will also react slowly with [Co (DMG)2py] to give isobutylene and the Co(II) complex, presumably via the intermediate formation of the unstable (ert-butyl complex. In the case of Co(I) cobalamin, the Co(II) complex is formed in the reaction with isopropyl iodide as well as tert-butyl chloride. Solvent has only a slight effect on the rate, e.g., the rate of reaction of Co(I) cobalamin... 

The primary step in the photolysis of methylcobalamin is homolytic fission to give the Co(II) cobalamin and methyl radicals. Recombination can occur, i.e., the reaction is reversed, unless the radicals and/or Co(II) are removed by further reactions ... 

The organo-corrinoids show similar behavior, but also additional complications. Rate constants have been determined 84) for the attack of mercury(II) acetate on various organocobalt cobinamides (X = H2O or absent) and cobalamins (X = 5,6-dimethylbenziminazole). The first complication, which has to be born in mind when comparing the cobinamides with the cobalamins or DMG complexes, is that the organocobin-amides are partly (R = vinyl and methyl) or wholly (R = Et, -Pr, t-Pr,... 

Enzymatic methylation of homocysteine (HSCHjCHjCHNHjCOOH) by methylcobalamin to give methionine (CH3SCH2CH2CHNH2COOH) was discovered in 1962 by Woods and co-workers, who also noticed the occurrence of a much slower, nonenzymatic reaction giving the same products. Methylcobinamide showed the same activity as the cobalamin in both the enzymatic and nonenzymatic reactions (72, 7/). It was subsequently discovered that HS, MeS , PhS , and w-BuS will dealkylate a variety of methyl complexes [DMG, DMG-BF2, DPG, G, salen, (DO)(DOH)pn, cobalamin] and even ethyl-Co(DMG)2 complexes to give the thioethers, and it was suggested that the reaction involved transfer of the carbonium ion to the attacking thiolate 161, 164), e.g.,... 

Catalytic hydrogenation with platinum liberates the hydrocarbon from methylcobalamin (57) and from alkyl-Co-DMG complexes (161), but not from pentacyanides with primary alkyl, vinyl, or benzyl ligands, though the cr-allyl complex yields propylene (109). Sodium sand gives mixtures of hydrocarbons with the alkyl-Co-salen complexes (64). Dithioerythritol will liberate methane from a variety of methyl complexes [cobalamin, DMG, DMG-BF2, G, DPG, CHD, salen, and (DO)(DOH)pn] (156), as will 1,4-butanedithiol from the DMG complex (157), and certain unspecified thiols will reduce DMG complexes with substituted alkyl ligands (e.g., C0-CH2COOH ->CH3C00H) (163, 164). Reaction with thiols can also lead to the formation of thioethers (see Section C,3). 

Only a few other cobalt complexes of the type covered in this review (and therefore excluding, for example, the cobalt carbonyls) have been reported to act as catalysts for homogeneous hydrogenation. The complex Co(DMG)2 will catalyze the hydrogenation of benzil (PhCOCOPh) to benzoin (PhCHOHCOPh). When this reaction is carried out in the presence of quinine, the product shows optical activity. The degree of optical purity varies with the nature of the solvent and reaches a maximum of 61.5% in benzene. It was concluded that asymmetric synthesis occurred via the formation of an organocobalt complex in which quinine was coordinated in the trans position (133). Both Co(DMG)2 and cobalamin-cobalt(II) in methanol will catalyze the following reductive methylations ... 

Co within all compounds of the so-called cobalamin (or B12) family. The biological functions of cobalamin cofactors are defined by their axial substituents either a methyl or an adenosyl group. Both cofactors participate in biosynthesis the former in methyl transfer reactions while the latter is a free radical initiator, abstracting H atoms from substrates. Decades after their initial characterization, the fascination with the biological chemistry of cobalamins remains.1109... 

In mammals and in the majority of bacteria, cobalamin regulates DNA synthesis indirectly through its effect on a step in folate metabolism, catalyzing the synthesis of methionine from homocysteine and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate via two methyl transfer reactions. This cytoplasmic reaction is catalyzed by methionine synthase (5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyl-transferase), which requires methyl cobalamin (MeCbl) (253), one of the two known coenzyme forms of the complex, as its cofactor. 5 -Deoxyadenosyl cobalamin (AdoCbl) (254), the other coenzyme form of cobalamin, occurs within mitochondria. This compound is a cofactor for the enzyme methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, which is responsible for the conversion of T-methylmalonyl CoA to succinyl CoA. This reaction is involved in the metabolism of odd chain fatty acids via propionic acid, as well as amino acids isoleucine, methionine, threonine, and valine. 

Fig. 13. Mechanism for the synthesis of dimethylarsine from arsenate and methyl-cobalamin...

Fig. 20. Electron spin resonance spectra of nitroxalkylcobalamin. (a) Spectrum before photolysis the high field line is broadened and therefore has a lower peak amplitude, (b) Expanded view of center line before photolysis showing no indication of additional hyperfine from methyl protons, (c) Spectrum of nitroxide photolysis product which has been freed from the cobalamin. (d) Expanded view of center line after photolysis now faintly showing proton hyperfine...

One other aspect of the photolysis of coordinate spin labeled derivatives is of interest. Nitroxides are good free radical scavengers (123). As a result, when methyl-cobalamin is photolyzed in the presence of a nitroxide, the methyl radical generated will react with the free nitroxide and cause disappearance of the ESR spectrum (123). However, once the nitroxide is coordinated it is no longer susceptible to attack by free radicals. Thus the nitroxyl function is quite well protected from approach by other species. 

Fig. 31 shows 220 MHz spectra for methyl cobalamin and methyl cobinamide. Most of the features of the PMR work to be discussed below can be illustrated with these two spectra as references. (See Fig. 1 for references to nomenclature.)... 

Fig. 31. 220 MHz NMR spectrum of methyl cobalamin in DaO and 220 MHz NMR spectrum of methyl cobinamide in D2O...

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