Structural analogues of the bimetallic reaction center in acetyl CoA synthase: a Ni--Ni model with bound CO

Models for the active site of the acetyl CoA synthase (ACS) were synthesized by attachment of Cu+ and Ni(0) to nickel diaminodithiolate (S2N2) and diamidodithiolate (S2N2') complexes. The Ni-Ni species form stable CO adducts, i.e., [{(CO)2Ni}{NiS2N2'}]2-, whereas the Cu-NiS2N2 and Cu-NiS2N2' models do not. These results provide supporting evidence for a biological role for reduced nickel in ACS.