Thiolate exchange in [TmR]ZnSR′ complexes and relevance to the mechanisms of thiolate alkylation reactions involving zinc enzymes and proteins

The zinc and cadmium thiolate complexes [TmBut]MSCH2C(O)N(H)Ph (M = Zn, Cd) may be obtained via treatment of the respective methyl complex [TmBut]MMe with PhN(H)C(O)CH2SH. The molecular structure of [TmBut]ZnSCH2C(O)N(H)Ph has been determined by X-ray diffraction, thereby demonstrating the presence of an intramolecular N-H ⋯ S hydrogen bond between the amide N-H group and thiolate sulfur atom. [TmBut]ZnSCH2C(O)N(H)Ph mimics the function of the Ada DNA repair protein by undergoing alkylation with MeI to give [TmBut]ZnI and MeSCH2C(O)N(H)Ph. A series of crossover experiments and 1H NMR magnetization transfer studies establish that thiolate exchange between [TmR]ZnSR′ derivatives is facile in this system, an observation that supports the previous suggestion that the alkylation of [TmPh]ZnSCH2C(O)N(H)Ph by MeI may proceed via a sequence that involves dissociation of [PhN(H)C(O)CH2S]−.