The discovery of tungsten enzymes and molybdenum/tungsten isoenzymes, in which the mononuclear catalytic sites contain a metal chelated by one or two pterin-dithiolene cofactor ligands, has lent new significance to tungsten-dithiolene chemistry. Reaction of [W(CO)(2)(S(2)C(2)Me(2))(2)] with RO(-) affords a series of square pyramidal desoxo complexes [W(IV)(OR')(S(2)C(2)Me(2))(2)](1)(-), including R' = Ph (1) and Pr(i)() (3). Reaction of 1 and 3 with Me(3)NO gives the cis-octahedral complexes [W(VI)O(OR')(S(2)C(2)Me(2))(2)](1)(-), including R' = Ph (6) and Pr(i)() (8). These W(IV,VI) complexes are considered unconstrained versions of protein-bound sites of DMSOR and TMAOR (DMSOR = dimethylsulfoxide reductase, TMAOR = trimethylamine N-oxide reductase) members of the title enzyme family. The structure of 6 and the catalytic center of one DMSO reductase isoenzyme have similar overall stereochemistry and comparable bond lengths. The minimal oxo transfer reaction paradigm thought to apply to enzymes, W(IV) + XO --> W(VI)O + X, has been investigated. Direct oxo transfer was demonstrated by isotope transfer from Ph(2)Se(18)O. Complex 1 reacts cleanly and completely with various substrates XO to afford 6 and product X in second-order reactions with associative transition states. The substrate reactivity order with 1 is Me(3)NO > Ph(3)AsO > pyO (pyridine N-oxide) > R(2)SO >> Ph(3)PO. For reaction of 3 with Me(3)NO, k(2) = 0.93 M(-)(1) s(-)(1), and for 1 with Me(2)SO, k(2) = 3.9 x 10(-)(5) M(-)(1) s(-)(1); other rate constants and activation parameters are reported. These results demonstrate that bis(dithiolene)W(IV) complexes are competent to reduce both N-oxides and S-oxides; DMSORs reduce both substrate types, but TMAORs are reported to reduce only N-oxides. Comparison of k(cat)/K(M) data for isoenzymes and k(2) values for isostructural analogue complexes reveals that catalytic and stoichiometric oxo transfer, respectively, from substrate to metal is faster with tungsten and from metal to substrate is faster with molybdenum. These results constitute a kinetic metal effect in direct oxo transfer reactions for analogue complexes and for isoenzymes provided the catalytic sites are isostructural. The nature of the transition state in oxo transfer reactions of analogues is tentatively considered. This research presents the first kinetics study of substrate reduction via oxo transfer mediated by bis(dithiolene)tungsten complexes.

In this communication, solid-phase reactions for the synthesis of Lys-monofunctionalized gold nanoparticles are described. A controlled and selective fabrication of linear nanoparticle arrays can be achieved through peptide linkage systems, and therefore it is essential to prepare Fmoc amino acid nanoparticle building blocks susceptible to Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis. Gold nanoparticles containing carboxylic acids (2) in the organic shell were covalently ligated to Lys on solid supports through amide bond coupling reactions. We employed Fmoc-Lys-substituted polymer resins such as Fmoc-Lys-Wang or Fmoc-Lys-HMPA-PEGA. The low density of Lys on the matrix enabled 2 nm-sized gold nanoparticles to react with Lys in a 1:1 ratio. Subsequent cleavage reactions using 60% TFA reagent resulted in Lys transfer from the solid matrix to gold nanoparticles, and the Fmoc-Lys-monofunctionalized gold nanoparticles (5) were obtained with 3-15% yield. Synthesis using HMPA-PEGA resin increased productivity due to the superior swelling properties of PEGA resin in DMF. Monofunctionalization of nanoparticles was microscopically characterized using TEM for the ethylenediamine-bridged nanoparticle dimers (6). By counting the number of 6, we found that at least 60% of cleaved nanoparticles were monofunctionalized by Lys. This method is highly selective and efficient for the preparation of monofunctionalized nanoparticles.

The recent development of structural and functional analogues of the DMSO reductase family of isoenzymes allows mechanistic examination of the minimal oxygen atom transfer paradigm M(IV) + QO M(VI) O + Q with the biological metals M = Mo and W. Systematic variation of the electronic environment at the WIV center of desoxo bis(dithiolene) complexes is enabled by introduction of para-substituted phenyl groups in the equatorial (eq) dithiolene ligand and the axial (ax) phenolate ligand. The compounds [W(CO)2(S2C2(C6H4-p-X)2)2] (54-60%) have been prepared by ligand transfer from [Ni(S2C2(C6H4-p-X)2)2] to [W(CO)3(MeCN)3]. A series of 25 complexes [W(IV)(OC6H4-p-X')(S2C2(C6H4-p-X)2)2]1- ([X4,X'], X = Br, F, H, Me, OMe; X' = CN, Br, H, Me, NH2; 41-53%) has been obtained by ligand substitution of five dicarbonyl complexes with five phenolate ligands. Linear free energy relationships between E1/2 and Hammett constant p for the electron-transfer series [Ni(S2C2(C6H4-p-X)2)2]0,1-,2- and [W(CO)2(S2C2(C6H4-p-X)2)2]0,1-,2- demonstrate a substituent influence on electron density distribution at the metal center. The reactions [WIV(OC6H4-p-X')(S2C2(C6H4-p-X)2)2]1- + (CH2)4SO [W(VI)O(OC6H4-p-X')(S2C2(C6H4-p-X)2)2]1- + (CH2)4S with constant substrate are second order with large negative activation entropies indicative of an associative transition state. Rate constants at 298 K adhere to the Hammett equations log(k([X4,X']/k[X4,H]) = rho(ax)sigma(p) and log(k[X4,X']/k([H4,X']) = 4rho(eq)sigma(p). Electron-withdrawing groups (EWG) and electron-donating groups (EDG) have opposite effects on the rate such that k(EWG) > k(EDG). The effects of X' on reactivity are found to be approximately 5 times greater than that of X (rho(ax) = 2.1, rho(eq) = 0.44) in the Hammett equation. Using these and other findings, a stepwise oxo transfer reaction pathway is proposed in which an early transition state, of primary W(IV)-O(substrate) bond-making character, is rate-limiting. This is followed by a six-coordinate substrate complex and a second transition state proposed to involve atom and electron transfer leading to the development of the W(VI)=O group. This work is the most detailed mechanistic investigation of oxo transfer mediated by a biological metal.

Recent protein crystallographic results on tungsten enzymes and primary sequence relationships between certain molybdenum and tungsten enzymes provoke interest in the generalized bis(dithiolene) complexes [WIV(QR)(S2C2R'2)2]1- and [WVIO(QR)(S2C2R'2)2]1- (Q = O, S, Se) as minimal representations of enzyme sites. The existence and stability of W(IV) complexes have been explored by synthesis. Reaction of [W(CO)2(S2C2Me2)2] (1) with PhO- results in complete CO substitution to give [W(OPh)(S2C2Me2)2]1- (2). Reaction of 1 with PhQ- affords the monocarbonyls [W(CO)(QPh)(S2C2Me2)2]1- (Q = S (3), Se (5)). The use of sterically demanding 2,4,6-Pri3C6H2Q- also yields monocarbonyls, [W(CO)(QC6H2-2,4,6-Pri3)(S2C2Me2)2]1- (Q = S (4), Se (6)). The X-ray structures of square pyramidal 2 and trigonal prismatic 3-6 (with unidentate ligands cis) are described. The tendency to substitute one or both carbonyl ligands in 1 in the formation of [MIV(QAr)(S2C2Me2)2]1- and [MIV(CO)(QAr)(SeC2Me2)2]1- with M = Mo and W is related to the M-Q bond length and ligand steric demands. The results demonstrate a stronger binding of CO by W(IV) than Mo(IV), a behavior previously demonstrated by thermodynamic and kinetic features of zerovalent carbonyl complexes. Complexes 3-6 can be reversibly reduced to W(III) at approximately -1.5 V versus SCE. On the basis of the potential for 2(-2.07 V), monocarbonyl ligation stabilizes W(III) by approximately 500 mV. This work is part of a parallel investigation of the chemistry of bis(dithiolene)-molybdenum (Lim, B. S.; Donahue, J. P.; Holm, R. H. Inorg. Chem. 2000, 39, 263) and -tungsten complexes related to enzyme active sites.