Ozone model for bonding of an O₂ to heme in oxyhemoglobin

Abstract

Several rather different models of the Fe-O₂ bond in oxyhemoglobin have previously been proposed, none of which provide a satisfactory explanation of several properties. We propose a new model for the bonding of an O₂ to the Fe of myoglobin and hemoglobin and report ab initio generalized valence bond and configuration interaction calculations on FeO₂ that corroborate this model. Our model is based closely upon the bonding in ozone which recent theoretical studies have shown to be basically a biradical with a singlet state stabilized by a three-center four-electron pi bond. In this model, the facile formation and dissociation of the Fe-O₂ bond is easily rationalized since the O₂ always retains its triplet ground state character. The ozone model leads naturally to a large negative electric field gradient (in agreement with Mossbauer studies) and to z-polarized (perpendicular to the heme) charge transfer transitions. It also suggests that the 1.3 eV transition, present in HbO₂ and absent in HbCO, is due to a porphyrin-to-Fe transition, analogous to that of ferric hemoglobins (e.g., HbCN).

Group Members

William A. Goddard III

Charles and Mary Ferkel Professor