EPR, ENDOR and TRIPLE resonance and MO studies on ubiquinones (Q-n): comparison of radical anions and cations of coenzymes Q-10 and Q-6 with the model compounds Q-2 and Q-0.

Radical anions and cations of the biologically important coenzymes Q-6 and Q-10, which have 6 and 10 unsaturated isoprene units in their side chains, respectively, have been generated in various solvents, and the results compared with those obtained for Q-0, a ubiquinone with no isoprene units, and for decylubiquinone Q-2 which has a saturated side chain. Hyperfine splitting constants (hfsc) of methyl and methoxy protons of the substituents in the quinone ring, and beta and gamma protons of the side chain were measured by EPR and ENDOR spectroscopy for both the radical anions and cations of Q-0, Q-6 and Q-10, and for the radical anion of Q-2. The relative signs of the hfsc were determined by general TRIPLE resonance spectroscopy. TRIPLE induced EPR (TIE) spectra were used for identification of the primary and secondary radicals of Q-10. The temperature dependence of the hfsc of the beta protons of Q-2 was different from those of Q-6 and Q-10. Fully optimised structures of Q-3 and Q-7 were obtained by performing semiempirical PM3 molecular orbital (MO) calculations for both neutral molecules and radical anions, neutral radicals and radical cations. Partial optimisation of the molecules was carried out for the side chain in a planar conformation. The folded conformation always had the minimum energy. Folding was so complete in the Q-7 series that the end of the side chain came into contact with the quinone ring, and small hfsc were detected in the PM3 calculations.