Intermediates Involved in the Two Electron Reduction of NO to N2O by a Functional Synthetic Model of Heme Containing Bacterial NO Reductase

Reaction of a functional biferrous heme/nonheme model complex at low temperature leads to the formation of a distal nonheme nitrosyl followed by a trans heme nonheme bis-nitrosyl intermediate. The EPR and Raman data on this intermediate indicate that the two nitrosyl centers are close. This complex gives off N 2 O and provides support for the trans mechanism proposed for NOR enzymes.