Metal thiolate complexes binding molecular nitrogen under mild conditions: [μ-N2{Ru(PiPr3)(N2Me2S2)}2], the first dinuclear example
摘要:
Binding N-2 to the metal sulfur cofactors of nitrogenase is considered the first step of biological N-2 fixation. In quest of low-molecular weight complexes modeling this step [mu-N-2{Ru((PPr3)-Pr-i)(N2Me2S2)}(2)] (3) was synthesized and completely characterized. Complex 3 was obtained from [Ru(N-2)((PPr3)-Pr-i)(N2Me2S2)] (1) that dissociates N-2 under reduced partial pressure of N,. Complex 1, in turn, forms from [Ru(CH3CN)((PPr3)-Pr-i)(N2Me2S2)] (2) and N-2 at standard conditions (20 degreesC, 1 bar) such that the formation of 3 corresponds with a binding of molecular nitrogen to metal thiolate complex fragments under mild conditions, not requiring abiologically strong reductants. Complex 3 forms as racemate of (R,R)-3 and (S,S)-3 enantiomers which spontaneously separate upon crystallization and could both be characterized by X-ray crystallography. Complex 3 exhibits short bonds trans to the N-2 ligand, a v(N-2) frequency (2042 cm(-1)) low in comparison with that of 1 (2113 cm(-1)) and a non-linear [Ru-NdropN-Ru] entity. The thiolate donors of 3 represent Broensted-basic sites for reversible protonations so that 3 becomes a complex suited for investigations aiming at the reduction of N-2 by nitrogenase-like coupled [2H(+)/2e(-)] transfer steps. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.