Complexes of glutathione with heavy metals as catalysts for oxidation

Research was carried out to determine the activity of complexes of tripeptide glutathione with heavy metals in the oxidation of cyclohexene with tert-butylhydroperoxide in toluene at 80 degrees C. All the complexes were prepared by the interaction of metal ions and glutathione at room temperature in aqueous solutions. Only the complexes of Mo were obtained from acidic aqueous solution. The characteristics of these complexes were determined by means of FTIR and Mossbauer spectroscopies and EPR analysis. The products of the epoxidation and hydroxylation reactions were identified using GC analysis. The complexes of molybdenum and vanadium showed higher activity in the epoxidation reaction of cyclohexene compared to the other complexes, namely of Mn, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Cd and Th. The possible structures of the complexes are offered. The possible use of glutathione complexes as catalysts in the model reaction of oxidation is newly demonstrated.