Molecular and crystal structure of a binuclear mu-acetato-coupled ZnN3-Zn porphyrin, N3 = bis(2-picolyl)amine: Synthetic approach to model the cytochrome c oxidase active site

A new preparatory method helps synthesize a ditopic porphyrin, which is designed to bind with two metals with a predicted geometry. This synthesis is relevant to the study of cytochrome oxidase a3-Cu site. X-ray crystallography and NMR studies help characterize a mu-acetate-bridged monozinc(II) complex and a dizinc complex.