Addition of Dioxygen to an N₄S(thiolate) Iron(II) Cysteine Dioxygenase Model Gives a Structurally Characterized Sulfinato–Iron(II) Complex

The non-heme iron enzyme cysteine dioxygenase (CDO) catalyzes the S-oxygenation of cysteine by O(2) to give cysteine sulfinic acid. The synthesis of a new structural and functional model of the cysteine-bound CDO active site, [Fe(II)(N3PyS)(CH(3)CN)]BF(4) (1) is reported. This complex was prepared with a new facially chelating 4N/1S(thiolate) pentadentate ligand. The reaction of 1 with O(2) resulted in oxygenation of the thiolate donor to afford the doubly oxygenated sulfinate product [Fe(II)(N3PySO(2))(NCS)] (2), which was crystallographically characterized. The thiolate donor provided by the new N3PyS ligand has a dramatic influence on the redox potential and O(2) reactivity of this Fe(II) model complex.