The equilibrium distribution of species formed between Cu(II) and
N-acetylneuraminic (sialic) acid (
I, LH) at 298 Khas been determined using a two-dimensional (2D) simulation analysis of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)spectra. In acidic solutions (pH values < 4), the major species present are Cu
2+, [CuL]
+ [log
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
= 1.64(4)], and[CuL
2] [log
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
= 2.77(5)]. At intermediate pH values (4.0 < pH < 7.5), [CuL
2H
-1]
- [log
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
= -2.72(7)] and twoisomers of [CuLH
-1] [log
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
(overall) = -3.37(2)] are present. At alkaline pH values (7.5 < pH < 11), themajor species present is [CuL
2H
-2]
2-, modeled as three isomers with unique
giso and
Aiso values [log
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
(overall) =-8.68(3)]. Two further species ([CuLH
-3]
2- and [CuL
2H
-3]
3-) appear at pH values > 11. It is proposed that [CuL]
+most likely features
I coordinated via the deprotonated carboxylic acid group (
O1) and the endocyclic oxygen atom(
OR) forming a five-membered chelate ring. Select Cu(II)-
I species of the form [CuLH
-1] may feature
I acting asa dianionic tridentate chelate, via oxygen atoms derived from
O1,
OR, and one deprotonated hydroxy group (
O7 or
O8) from the glycerol tail. Alternatively,
I may coordinate Cu(II) in a bidentate fashion as the
tert-2-hydroxycarboxylato(
O1,
O2) dianion. Spectra predicted for Cu(II)-
I complexes in which
I is coordinated in either a
O1,
OR {
I(1-)} or
O1,
O2 {
I(2-)} bidentate fashion {e.g., [CuL]
+ (
O1,
OR), [CuL
2] (bis-
O1,
OR), [CuLH
-1] (isomer:
O1,
O2), [CuL
2H
-1]
-(
O1,
OR;
O1,
O2), and [CuL
2H
-2]
2- (isomer: bis-
O1,
O2)} have "irregular" EPR spectra that are ascribed to the existenceof Cu(II)-
I(monomer)
![](/images/entities/rlhar2.gif)
Cu(II)-
I(polymer) equilibria. The formation of polymeric Cu(II)-
I species will be favored inthese complexes because the glycerol-derived hydroxyl groups at the complex periphery (
O,
7O,
8O9) are availablefor further Cu(II) binding. The presence of polymeric Cu(II)-
I species is supported by EPR spectral data fromsolutions of Cu(II) and the homopolymer of
I, colominic acid (
Ipoly). Conversely, spectra predicted for Cu(II)-
I complexeswhere
I is coordinated in a {
I(2-)} tridentate {e.g., [CuLH
-1] (isomer:
O1,
OR,
O7, or
O8) and [CuL
2H
-2]
2- (isomer:bis-
O1,
OR,
O7, or
O8)} or tetradentate fashion {
I(3-)} {e.g., [CuLH
-3]
2- (
O1,
OR,
O,
8O9)} are typical for mononucleartetragonally elongated Cu(II) octahedra. In this latter series of complexes, the tendency toward the formation ofpolymeric Cu(II)-
I analogues is small because the polydentate
I effectively wraps up the mononuclear Cu(II) center.This work shows that Cu(II) could potentially mediate the chemistry of sialoglycoconjugate-containing proteins inhuman biology, such as the sialylated amyloid precursor protein of relevance to Alzheimer's disease.