Elaboration of the bis(pyrazolyl)hydroborato ligand [BpBu,Pr] into the NNO donor ligand, [(MeO)BpBu,Pr]: Structural characterization of a complex in which the [(MeO)BpBu,Pr] ligand models the binding of zinc to the peptide backbone in thermolysin

The bis(pyrazolyl)hydroborato ligand in (BpBut,Pri)ZnMe is converted to the NNO donor ligand in [η3-(MeO)BpBut,Pri]ZnMe by insertion of [CH2O] into one of the BH bonds; structural characterization by X-ray diffraction confirms that the ligand binds to the zinc centre a in manner analogous to the binding of zinc to the peptide backbone in thermolysin.