High-yield synthesis of the iron-sulfur cluster [{N(SiMe(3))(2)}{SC(NMe(2))(2)}Fe(4)S(3)](2)(mu(6)-S) {mu-N(SiMe(3))(2)}(2) (1), which reproduces the [8Fe-7S] core structure of the nitrogenase P(N)-cluster, has been achieved via two pathways: (1) Fe{N(SiMe(3))(2)}(2) + HSTip (Tip = 2,4,6-(i)Pr(3)C(6)H(2)) + tetramethylthiourea (SC(NMe(2))(2)) + elemental sulfur (S(8)); and (2) Fe(3){N(SiMe(3))(2)}(2)(mu-STip)(4) (2) + HSTip + SC(NMe(2))(2) + S(8). The thiourea and terminal amide ligands of 1 were found to be replaceable by thiolate ligands upon treatment with thiolate anions and thiols at -40 degrees C, respectively, and a series of [8Fe-7S] clusters bearing two to four thiolate ligands have been synthesized and their structures were determined by X-ray analysis. The structures of these model [8Fe-7S] clusters all closely resemble that of the reduced form of P-cluster (P(N)) having 8Fe(II) centers, while their 6Fe(II)-2Fe(III) oxidation states correspond to the oxidized form of P-cluster (P(OX)). The cyclic voltammograms of the [8Fe-7S] clusters reveal two quasi-reversible one-electron reduction processes, leading to the 8Fe(II) state that is the same as the P(N)-cluster, and the synthetic models demonstrate the redox behavior between the two major oxidation states of the native P-cluster. Replacement of the SC(NMe(2))(2) ligands in 1 with thiolate anions led to more negative reduction potentials, while a slight positive shift occurred upon replacement of the terminal amide ligands with thiolates. The clusters 1, (NEt(4))(2)[{N(SiMe(3))(2)}(SC(6)H(4)-4-Me)Fe(4)S(3)](2)(mu(6)-S){mu-N(SiMe(3))(2)}(2) (3a), and [(SBtp){SC(NMe(2))(2)}Fe(4)S(3)](2)(mu(6)-S){mu-N(SiMe(3))(2)}(2) (5; Btp = 2,6-(SiMe(3))(2)C(6)H(3)) are EPR silent at 4-100 K, and their temperature-dependent magnetic moments indicate a singlet ground state with antiferromagnetic couplings among the iron centers. The (57)Fe Mössbauer spectra of these clusters are consistent with the 6Fe(II)-2Fe(III) oxidation state, each exhibiting two doublets with an intensity ratio of ca. 1:3, which are assignable to Fe(III) and Fe(II), respectively. Comparison of the quadrupole splittings for 1, 3a, and 5 has led to the conclusion that two Fe(III) sites of the clusters are the peripheral iron atoms.

The all-ferric ½Fe 4 S 4 4þ cluster ½Fe 4 S 4 fNðSiMe 3 Þ 2 g 4 1 and its oneelectron reduced form ½1 − serve as convenient precursors for the synthesis of 3∶1-site differentiated ½Fe 4 S 4 clusters and highpotential iron-sulfur protein (HiPIP) model clusters. The reaction of 1 with four equivalents (equiv) of the bulky thiol HSDmp (Dmp¼ 2,6-ðmesitylÞ 2 C 6 H 3 , mesityl ¼2,4,6-Me 3 C 6 H 2 ) followed by treatment with tetrahydrofuran (THF) resulted in the isolation of ½Fe 4 S 4 ðSDmpÞ 3 ðTHFÞ 3 2. Cluster 2 contains an octahedral iron atom with three THF ligands, and its FeðSÞ 3 ðOÞ 3 coordination environment is relevant to that in the active site of substrate-bound aconitase. An analogous reaction of ½1 − with four equiv of HSDmp gave ½Fe 4 S 4 ðSDmpÞ 4 − 3, which models the oxidized form of HiPIP. The THF ligands in 2 can be replaced by tetramethyl-imidazole (Me 4 Im) to give ½Fe 4 S 4 ðSDmpÞ 3 ðMe 4 ImÞ 4 modeling the ½Fe 4 S 4 ðCysÞ 3 ðHisÞ cluster in hydrogenases, and its one-electron reduced form ½4 − was synthesized from the reaction of 3 with Me 4 Im. The reversible redox couple between 3 and ½3 − was observed at E 1∕2 ¼−820 mV vs. Ag∕Ag þ , and the corresponding reversible couple for 4 and ½4 − is positively shifted by þ440 mV. The cyclic voltammogram of 3 also exhibited a reversible oxidation couple, which indicates generation of the all-ferric ½Fe 4 S 4 4þ cluster, ½Fe 4 S 4 ðSDmpÞ 4 .Fe4S4 cluster | thiolates C uboidal ½Fe 4 S 4 clusters are ubiquitous metal-centers in proteins, expediting electron transfer and enzymatic reactions. These ½Fe 4 S 4 cores are usually bound to four cysteinyl thiolates (Cys) as found in the high-potential iron-sulfur proteins (HiPIP) and widely distributed ferredoxins (Fd). Some ½Fe 4 S 4 clusters carrying an N-or O-donor ligand and three Cys ligands are also known, for example the ½Fe 4 S 4 ðCysÞ 3 ðHisÞ cluster (His ¼ histidinyl imidazole) in [NiFe] and [FeFe] hydrogenases ( Fig. 1) (1-6), and the ½Fe 4 S 4 ðCysÞ 3 ðO-donorÞ cluster in aconitase (7-9) and protochlorophyllide reductase (10). All of these ½Fe 4 S 4 clusters are present in three oxidation states, ½Fe 4 S 4 3þ (HiPIP ox ), ½Fe 4 S 4 2þ (HiPIP red ∕Fd ox ), and ½Fe 4 S 4 þ (Fd red ), while the ½Fe 4 S 4 0 state has been suggested for the cluster in the Fe-protein of nitrogenase (11,12). To date, no ½Fe 4 S 4 4þ cluster has been found in proteins.

A C-H bond of Cp*(2)Co was found to be cleaved by a [Fe(8)S(7)] cluster model of the nitrogenase P-cluster. This is the first example of C-H bond activation mediated by a biologically relevant Fe/S cluster. The reaction mechanism probably consists of electron transfer from Cp*(2)Co to the [Fe(8)S(7)] cluster and subsequent proton abstraction by the reduced form of the cluster.