Four new binuclear copper enzyme models (6-9) are efficiently synthesized and structurally confirmed. o-chloro phenol is treated with paraformaldehyde and imidazole to give the bis-imidazolylmethyl derivative 2. Treatment of 2 with α, ω-dibromoalkanes gives the corresponding coupling derivatives 3-5. Three models 6-8 are obtained from the reaction of [Cu(CH~3CN)~4]ClO~4 with 3-5. Another model(9) was Likewise synthesized under otherwise identical condition except employing p-chloro phenol in place of the o-counterpart. Oxidation reactions of benzoin to benzil catalyzed by 6-9 with oxygen have also been investigated. The catalytic ability in the following order: 7>4+[Cu(CH~3CN)~4]ClO~4>[Cu(CH~3(CN)~4]ClO~4>2+[Cu(CH~3CN)~4]ClO~4 is observed. In the presence of 7, the oxidation reaction follows Michaelis-Menten Saturation behaviour and the kinetic parameters are obtained.

Key words: GUM BENZOIN, METHYLATION, CATALYST, IMIDAZOLE, CATALYTIC OXIDATION