Organometallic Chemistry in Fe–S Clusters

The organometallic chemistry of Fe–S clusters has emerged as a new area in Fe–S enzyme biochemistry. In particular, alkylated [Fe₄S₄] clusters are now thought to be important intermediates in several classes of enzymes, including radical S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) enzymes and enzymes involved in...

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Main Author: Ye, Mengshan
Other Authors: Suess, Daniel L. M.
Format: Thesis
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2022
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/145047
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author Ye, Mengshan
author2 Suess, Daniel L. M.
author_facet Suess, Daniel L. M.
Ye, Mengshan
author_sort Ye, Mengshan
collection MIT
description The organometallic chemistry of Fe–S clusters has emerged as a new area in Fe–S enzyme biochemistry. In particular, alkylated [Fe₄S₄] clusters are now thought to be important intermediates in several classes of enzymes, including radical S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) enzymes and enzymes involved in terpene biosynthesis. Due to the transient nature of these intermediates, full characterization of the geometric and electronic structures of enzymatic [Fe₄S₄]–alkyl species has not been possible. To address these challenges, we have synthesized a series of organometallic [Fe₄S₄] clusters to explore the electronic structures and reactivities of Fe–S clusters in the presence of the Fe–C bond. We first prepared novel 3:1 site-differentiated, alkylated or arylated [Fe₄S₄] clusters with chelating iminophosphorane ligands in various oxidation states. In-depth spectroscopic and computational analysis of these clusters suggests that alkylat-ed/arylated Fe sites exhibit partial or complete valence-localization in each redox state. By systematically tuning the donicities of the alkyl or aryl ligands, we demonstrated that the extent of valence localization and ground spin state is sensitive to the ligand-field strength. In addition to electronic structure studies, we also prepared alkylated [Fe₄S₄] clusters with 1,3-dimesitylimidazol-2-ylidene (IMes) ligands in several redox states and found that when the al-kylated Fe site has a coordination number greater than four, the Fe–C bond is dramatically weakened and undergoes rapid homolysis to releases alkyl radicals. In attempts to trap radical releasing intermediates, we discovered that the alkyl group would migrate from Fe on a [Fe₄S₄]³⁺ cluster to S and migrate back upon one-electron reduction. Overall, this thesis elucidates ligand-field effects on the electronic structures of [Fe₄S₄] clusters, addresses the intermediacy of organometallic intermediate radical SAM enzymes, and connects the organoiron and organosulfur chemistry.
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spelling mit-1721.1/1450472022-08-30T03:11:50Z Organometallic Chemistry in Fe–S Clusters Ye, Mengshan Suess, Daniel L. M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemistry The organometallic chemistry of Fe–S clusters has emerged as a new area in Fe–S enzyme biochemistry. In particular, alkylated [Fe₄S₄] clusters are now thought to be important intermediates in several classes of enzymes, including radical S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) enzymes and enzymes involved in terpene biosynthesis. Due to the transient nature of these intermediates, full characterization of the geometric and electronic structures of enzymatic [Fe₄S₄]–alkyl species has not been possible. To address these challenges, we have synthesized a series of organometallic [Fe₄S₄] clusters to explore the electronic structures and reactivities of Fe–S clusters in the presence of the Fe–C bond. We first prepared novel 3:1 site-differentiated, alkylated or arylated [Fe₄S₄] clusters with chelating iminophosphorane ligands in various oxidation states. In-depth spectroscopic and computational analysis of these clusters suggests that alkylat-ed/arylated Fe sites exhibit partial or complete valence-localization in each redox state. By systematically tuning the donicities of the alkyl or aryl ligands, we demonstrated that the extent of valence localization and ground spin state is sensitive to the ligand-field strength. In addition to electronic structure studies, we also prepared alkylated [Fe₄S₄] clusters with 1,3-dimesitylimidazol-2-ylidene (IMes) ligands in several redox states and found that when the al-kylated Fe site has a coordination number greater than four, the Fe–C bond is dramatically weakened and undergoes rapid homolysis to releases alkyl radicals. In attempts to trap radical releasing intermediates, we discovered that the alkyl group would migrate from Fe on a [Fe₄S₄]³⁺ cluster to S and migrate back upon one-electron reduction. Overall, this thesis elucidates ligand-field effects on the electronic structures of [Fe₄S₄] clusters, addresses the intermediacy of organometallic intermediate radical SAM enzymes, and connects the organoiron and organosulfur chemistry. Ph.D. 2022-08-29T16:29:25Z 2022-08-29T16:29:25Z 2022-05 2022-06-08T13:05:38.680Z Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/145047 0000-0003-2709-8135 In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted Copyright MIT http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/ application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Ye, Mengshan
Organometallic Chemistry in Fe–S Clusters
title Organometallic Chemistry in Fe–S Clusters
title_full Organometallic Chemistry in Fe–S Clusters
title_fullStr Organometallic Chemistry in Fe–S Clusters
title_full_unstemmed Organometallic Chemistry in Fe–S Clusters
title_short Organometallic Chemistry in Fe–S Clusters
title_sort organometallic chemistry in fe s clusters
url https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/145047
work_keys_str_mv AT yemengshan organometallicchemistryinfesclusters