A Synthetic Model of Enzymatic [Fe4S4]-Alkyl Intermediates

J Am Chem Soc. 2019 Aug 28;141(34):13330-13335. doi: 10.1021/jacs.9b06975. Epub 2019 Aug 16.

Abstract

Although alkyl complexes of [Fe4S4] clusters have been invoked as intermediates in a number of enzymatic reactions, obtaining a detailed understanding of their reactivity patterns and electronic structures has been difficult owing to their transient nature. To address this challenge, we herein report the synthesis and characterization of a 3:1 site-differentiated [Fe4S4]2+-alkyl cluster. Whereas [Fe4S4]2+ clusters typically exhibit pairwise delocalized electronic structures in which each Fe has a formal valence of 2.5+, Mössbauer spectroscopic and computational studies suggest that the highly electron-releasing alkyl group partially localizes the charge distribution within the cubane, an effect that has not been previously observed in tetrahedrally coordinated [Fe4S4] clusters.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkylation
  • Biomimetic Materials / chemical synthesis
  • Biomimetic Materials / chemistry
  • Electron Transport
  • Electrons
  • Enzymes / chemical synthesis
  • Enzymes / chemistry*
  • Iron Compounds / analogs & derivatives*
  • Iron Compounds / chemical synthesis
  • Iron-Sulfur Proteins / chemical synthesis
  • Iron-Sulfur Proteins / chemistry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Sulfur Compounds / chemical synthesis
  • Sulfur Compounds / chemistry*

Substances

  • Enzymes
  • Iron Compounds
  • Iron-Sulfur Proteins
  • Sulfur Compounds