Copper(I) and copper(II) in complexes of biochemical significance studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements of copper complexes of biochemical significance were carried out to permit the conclusion whether or not copper is present in the Cu(I) or Cu(II) state. Only one single homogeneous signal in the X-ray photoelectron spectra of the Cu(I) 2p1/2 and 2p3/2 levels was seen regardless whatever Cu(I) complex was used. By contrast one more or less split satellite in addition to the main 2p copper signal appeared when Cu(II) complexes were studied. The extent of satellite splitting was dependent on the nature of the ligands coordinated with Cu(II). Thus, a strong splitting was observed in the spectra of Cu-(trifluoroacetylacetonate)2 and Cu-(biuret)2Cl2 were Cu(II) is exclusively bound to oxygen having a formal double bond. No such splitting was seen in Cu(II) chelates where the metal was bound to single bonded oxygen and/or nitrogen. It excited great interest to see that in the antiferromagnetically coupled Cu(II) complexes Cu2-(succinate)2-4H2O, Cu-(HCCO)2, CuO and in the completely diamagnetic Cu2-(u,3-diphenyltriazene)4 complex Cu(II) could be detected. The reaction of Cu(I) and Cu(II) with the thiol sulphur of either cysteine, penicillamine or alpha-mercaptopropionylglycine yielded Cu(I) complexes. During the X-ray exposure of the different samples photoreduction of Cu(II) was not observed. For example, the satellite structure of the copper 2p levels using Cu(II)-cystine remained unchanged during the measurement.