title: A Density Functional Study of Active Site Models for Xanthine Oxidase.
abstract: The suggestion that hydroxide is coordinated to the oxidised molybdenum site in xanthine oxidase (XnO) is tested theoretically by computing the structures of a range of four-, five-, and six-coordinate active site models. The local density approximation of density functional theory has been used with the two experimentally verified singly bonded sulfur ligands modeled by both dithiolene, [SRCCRS](2-) (R = H and CH(3)), and thiolate, [CH(3)S](-) groups. Both ligand types give virtually identical results for analogous species. Based on a comparison of the computed M-L distances and those reported in recent EXAFS studies, it is concluded that both four- and six-coordination are unlikely since the optimized Mo-S contacts are too short or too long respectively. Of the five-coordinate MoOS(SR)(2)X models, the ones with X = [OH](-) give computed M-L bond lengths in excellent agreement with the reported EXAFS data while X = H(2)O, NH(3), [CH(3)S](-), and O(2-) give relatively poor agreement. The theoretical results imply that the active site represents a stable, preferred geometry rather than some imposed entatic state.
authors.affiliation: Inorganic Computational Chemistry Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K.
authors.forename: Mark R.
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Bray
authors.forename: Robert J.
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Deeth