Synthesis of dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs) with intramolecular hydrogen bonding

HSCH₂CONHCH₃ and HSCH₂CON(CH₃)₂ containing a peptide bond are prepared for the synthesis of DNICs with/without intra-molecular hydrogen bonding, respectively. The IR ν(NO) bands of (NO)₂Fe(SCH₂CONHCH₃)₂]⁻ (2) appears at 1751, 1700 cm⁻¹. In complex 2, the presence of intramolecular NH?S] hydrogen bonding was verified by the observation of IR spectroscopy with N−H stretching frequency 3334 cm⁻¹ (CDCl₃) and subsequently confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction showing N−S distance of 2.94 Å. Complex 2 displays the rhombic EPR spectrum with g₁ = 2.039, g₂ = 2.031 and g₃ = 2.013 at in frozen H₂O. Complexes 2 and 3 rapidly release NO when exposed to light. The time needed for photolysis reactions of 2 is two times faster than that of 3 in less polar solvent. Representative time courses for the photolability of 2 and 3 in THF display the NO-off ability: 2 > 3.