Autoxidation of native oxymyoglobin. Kinetic analysis of the pH profile.

The rate of autoxidation of native oxymyoglobin to metmyoglobin has been examined over the pH range of 4.8--12.6 in 0.1 M buffer at 25 degrees C, and some 40 values of the observed first-order rate constant, kobs, are plotted against pH of the solution. In order to understand the kobs--pH profile thus obtained, some mechanistic models are proposed for the autoxidation reaction. The fitting of their rate equations as a function of pH has been examined to the experimental kobs-pH plot by a least-squares method with the use of a digital computer. The complicated pH-profile can be best explained by the 'acid-base catalyzed three states model', which reveals not only the catalytic role of hydrogen ions and hydroxyl ions, but also the involvement of two dissociation groups of myoglobin molecule in the autoxidation reaction.