Kinetics of reaction of anions with methemerythrin derivatives.

The kinetics of anation of methemerythrin over a wide range of pH and concentration of anions have been studied at 25 degrees C. The azide and thiocyanate ions have been most intensively investigated but experiments with fluoride and chloride are also reported. The replacement of anion in methemerythrin-anionic adducts by other anions has also been studied. Except for replacement of met-fluoride by azide, all replacements can be explained by a dissociative mechanism via the aquated species. Anations are second-order and an associative mechanism is preferred. The second-order rate constant decreases with increasing anion concentrations (from 20 muM to 20 mM). This is attributed to the effect of a secondary anion binding site. The behavior of octameric and monomeric forms of the protein toward thiocyanate is identical. A comparison of results with simple Fe(III) complexes and certain metalloproteins is made.