Homo- and Heteronuclear Group 12 Metallothionein Type B Cluster Analogs: Synthesis, Structure, H NMR and ESI-MS.

Metallothioneins (MTs) are a ubiquitous class of small cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins involved in metal homeostasis and detoxification with highly versatile metal binding properties. Despite the long-standing association of MT with MS and MS metal clusters, synthetic complexes with these core architectures are exceptionally rare. Here, we demonstrate an approach to synthesizing and characterizing aggregates of group 12 metal ions with monocyclic MS cores in acetonitrile solution without the protection of a protein.

Metal Substitution and Solvomorphism in Alkylthiolate-Bridged Zn and HgZn Metal Clusters.

The impact of substituting Hg(II) for Zn(II) in a thiolate-bridged trinuclear cluster with parallels to a metallothionein metal cluster was investigated. A new solvomorph of [Zn(Zn)](ClO) () ( = -(2-pyridylmethyl)--(2-(ethylthiolato)-amine) and five solvomorphs of a new compound [Hg(Zn)](ClO) () were characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The interplay of hydrogen bonding and aromatic-packing interactions in producing lamellar, 2D lamellar, and columnar arrangements of complex cations in the crystalline state is discussed.