Hypothiocyanite (OSCN − ) plays an important role in the human host defense system as a nonimmunological antimicrobial agent. Although many conjugate reactions of proteins have been attributed to OSCN − , there is little precedence for such reactions in small-molecule chemistry. We will discuss the derivative species that are in equilibrium with OSCN − , including hypothiocyanous acid (HOSCN), thiocyanogen [(SCN) 2 ], and trithiocyanate [(SCN) −3 ], the first organic derivatives of this mixture to be fully characterized, and we will describe a new method of synthesizing hypothiocyanite.
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