Redox Behavior of Heme-NO Models: A Vehicle for Outreach and Discovery

University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus, Norman OK

Investigators

Abstract

This Research award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry program supports work by Professor George Richter-Addo at the University of Oklahoma and Professor Michael Shaw at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville to determine the electrochemical behavior of metalloporphyrins containing the NO ligand. Both the NO molecule and metalloporphyrins (e.g., the heme group in the liver enzyme cytochrome P450) are biochemically relevant and undergo electron-transfer reactions. However, the effects of the NO ligand on the electron transfer properties of metalloporphyrins are not well understood. New and innovative spectroelectrochemical methodologies are being developed to provide, for the first time, the needed spectral data for complete characterization of important intermediates to gain insight on the location of electron addition and removal, and to determine the fate of the redox-generated intermediates. Electrochemistry is being used in this work as a tool to inculcate the broader community with fundamental concepts in chemistry in a way that brings chemistry into the home. The research and instructional outreach programs extend to communities in East St. Louis and to Langston University that have large numbers of underrepresented minority populations, and to K-12 home schooled students and their parents. Students involved in this project develop a mature understanding of modern electrochemical methods and issues which prepare them for careers in fields which involve the interaction of chemistry with electrodes, including modern batteries, fuel cells, and photocells. Knowledge of how electrochemistry provides insight into the chemical properties of materials is essential to a broader understanding of how nature utilizes electron transfer for critical processes such as photosynthesis and respiration.