Copper Complexes as Bioinspired Models for Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenases

We
report here two copper complexes as first functional models for lytic
polysaccharide monooxygenases, mononuclear copper-containing enzymes
involved in recalcitrant polysaccharide breakdown. These complexes
feature structural and spectroscopic properties similar to those of
the enzyme. In addition, they catalyze oxidative cleavage of the model
substrate p-nitrophenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside.
More importantly, a particularly stable copper­(II) hydroperoxide intermediate
is detected in the reaction conditions.