The model complex [Cu4(μ4‐S)(dppa)4]2+ (1, dppa=μ2‐(Ph2P)2NH) has N2O reductase activity in methanol solvent, mediating 2 H+/2 e− reduction of N2O to N2+H2O in the presence of an exogenous electron donor (CoCp2). A stoichiometric product with two deprotonated dppa ligands was characterized, indicating a key role of second‐sphere N−H residues as proton donors during N2O reduction. The activity of 1 towards N2O was suppressed in solvents that are unable to provide hydrogen bonding to the second‐sphere N−H groups. Structural and computational data indicate that second‐sphere hydrogen bonding induces structural distortion of the [Cu4S] active site, accessing a strained geometry with enhanced reactivity due to localization of electron density along a dicopper edge site. The behavior of 1 mimics aspects of the CuZ catalytic site of nitrous oxide reductase: activity in the 4CuI:1S redox state, use of a second‐sphere proton donor, and reactivity dependence on both primary and secondary sphere effects.

Experimental data and computational modeling indicates an active role for the bridging sulfide ligand in a synthetic CuZ model.

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Model compounds have been widely utilized in understanding the structure and function of the unusual Cu4(μ4-S) active site (CuZ) of nitrous oxide reductase (N2OR). However, only a limited number of model compounds that mimic both structural and functional features of CuZ are available, limiting insights about CuZ that can be gained from model studies. Our aim has been to construct Cu4(μ4-S) clusters with tailored redox activity and chemical reactivity via modulating the ligand environment. Our synthetic approach uses dicopper­(I) precursor complexes (Cu2L2) that assemble into a Cu4(μ4-S)­L4 cluster with the addition of an appropriate sulfur source. Here, we summarize the features of the ligands L that stabilize precursor and Cu4(μ4-S) clusters, along with the alternative products that form with inappropriate ligands. The precursors are more likely to rearrange to Cu4(μ4-S) clusters when the Cu­(I) ions are supported by bidentate ligands with 3-atom bridges, but steric and electronic features of the ligand also play crucial roles. Neutral phosphine donors have been found to stabilize Cu4(μ4-S) clusters in the 4Cu­(I) oxidation state, while neutral nitrogen donors could not stabilize Cu4(μ4-S) clusters. Anionic formamidinate ligands have been found to stabilize Cu4(μ4-S) clusters in the 2Cu­(I):2Cu­(II) and 3Cu­(I):1Cu­(II) states, with both the formation of the dicopper­(I) precursors and subsequent assembly of clusters being governed by the steric factor at the ortho positions of the N-aryl substituents. Phosphaamidinates, which combine a neutral phosphine donor and an anionic nitrogen donor in the same ligand, form multinuclear Cu­(I) clusters unless the negative charge is valence-trapped on nitrogen, in which case the resulting dicopper precursor is unable to rearrange to a multinuclear cluster. Taken together, the results presented in this study provide design criteria for successful assembly of synthetic model clusters for the CuZ active site of N2OR, which should enable future insights into the chemical behavior of CuZ.

Phosphabenzamidine [mes-NH-C(Ph)═P-mes) (1) and phosphaformamidine (mes-NH-CH═P-mes) (4) ligands have been synthesized and characterized. The conjugate bases of 1 and 4 coordinate by each bridging three Cu(I) ions, forming hexa- and tetranuclear clusters Cu[mes-N═C(Ph)-P-mes]ClLi(THF) (3) and Cu[mes-N═CH-P-mes] (5), respectively. Both clusters have been fully characterized using H NMR,P NMR, and X-ray crystallography. Complexes 3 and 5 exhibit a previously unknown coordination mode of phosphaamidinates, which are far less studied than their well-known amidinate counterparts.