Cobalamins electronic spectra

The electron spin resonance of the nitroxalkylcorrinoids can be readily observed in aqueous solution at room temperature. Both the cobalamin and cobinamide show nitrogen hyperfine coupling constants of 17.2 gauss. A typical spectrum is shown in Fig. 20. The line widths for the low, intermediate, and high field peaks are 1.87, 1.87, and 2.20... 

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...

Use of CD30D or methyl tetrahydrofuran solvents to encourage electron capture, resulted in a complex set of reactions for methyl cobalamine. Initial addition occurred into the w corrin orbital, but on annealing a cobalt centred radical was obtained, the e.s.r. spectrum of which was characteristic of an electron in a d z.y orbital (involving the corrin ring) rather than the expected d2z orbital. However, the final product was the normal Co species formed by loss of methyl. Formally, this requires loss of CH3 , but this step seems highly unlikely. Some form of assisted loss, such as protonation, seems probable. 

Cobalt(II) complexes (such as cob(II)alamin, formerly called B,2,) can be obtained by several methods including controlled potential reduction [14,15], anaerobic photolysis of some organocobalt species [16] (see Section 5.2(b)), partial oxidation of cobalt(I) complexes, in some cases acidification of solutions of cobalt(I) complexes (see below) and chemical reduction. Chemical reduction of cobalt(III) cobalamins to the +2 oxidation state has been achieved with hydrogen over platinum oxide [16], with neutral and acidic solutions of vanadium(III) [17], with chromous acetate at pH 3 [18] and with amalgamated zinc in 0.1 M aqueous perchloric acid [19]. All such cobalt(II) species are probably 5-coordinate, and are low spin d systems containing an unpaired electron and thus displaying an ESR spectrum [20]. 

---