A simple competition assay to probe pentacopper(I)-thiolato cluster ligand exchange.

Two pentanuclear copper(I) thiolato clusters of the formula [Cu(5)(L)(3)](-) (L = pyridine-2,6-dimethanethiolate (L1), (1); 4-methylpyridine-2,6-dimethanethiolate (L2), (2)) were synthesized utilizing a single-step procedure, and their structures were characterized by X-ray crystallography. The aforementioned pentanuclear complexes possess an interesting propeller-like Cu(5)S(6) core where all Cu centers are three-coordinate. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) investigation of the pentanuclear copper(I) thiolato clusters with added hetero-ligands demonstrated interesting ligand exchange behavior.

Potassium-encapsulated arsenic-dithiolato compounds: synthesis, structural calculation, and biological relevance.

This study based on the synthesis, characterization, and structural calculation of small molecular potassium-encapsulated arsenic-dithiolato compounds will provide fundamental knowledge about arsenic metabolism behavior in biological system. Two novel air-stable potassium-encapsulated arsenic-dithiolato compounds, [K@As(2)(L1)(3)](BF(4)) (1) and [K@As(2)(L2)(3)](BF(4)) (2), were prepared using deprotonated 2,6-bis(mercaptomethyl)pyridine (L1H(2)) and 1,3-dimercapto-m-xylene (L2H(2)) to react with AsCl(3) in the presence of potassium cation. Compounds 1 and 2 have been characterized by electrospray ionization-mass spectra, nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, and elemental microanalysis.