A bis(η5-cyclopentadienyl)cobalt complex of a bis-dithiolene: a chemical analogue of the metal centres of the DMSO reductase family of molybdenum and tungsten enzymes, in particular ferredoxin aldehyde oxidoreductase

The synthesis is described of a bis-ene-1,2-dithiolate pro-ligand, designed to model the stereochemical situation in the cofactor of the tungsten enzyme ferredoxin aldehyde oxidoreductase from Pyrococcus furiosus. Each masked ene-1,2-dithiolate unit is mounted on a pyrano[2,3-b]tetrahydroquinoxaline tricycle, comparable to the pyrano[2,3-g]tetrahydropteridines found in all molybdoenzymes and tungsten analogues. Hydrolytic release of the bis-ligand was confirmed by its entrapment as a double (η5-C5H5)Co complex.