O-O bond cleavage via electrochemical reduction of a side-on peroxo dicopper model of hemocyanin.

The redox properties of the mu-eta(2):eta(2) peroxo complex [Cu-2(H6M4h)(O-2)](2+) were elucidated. This study constitutes the first full electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical characterization of a side-on peroxo Cu-2:O-2 bioinorganic model complex. The peroxo complex is irreversibly reduced in a two-electron process localized on the peroxo ligand triggering the cleavage of the O-O bond.