Zinc complexes of the new N,N,S ligand N-(2-mercaptoisobutyl)(picolyl)amine

The title ligand MBPAH was obtained from 2-picolylamine and 2,2-dimethylthiirane. It forms the 2:1 zinc complex (MBPA)2Zn, assumed to have a ZnN2S2 coordination with two uncoordinated nitrogen donor functions. Treatment of (MBPA)2Zn with alkylating agents or reaction of MBPAH with Zn(ClO4)2 yielded the complexes [(MBPA)4Zn3]X2 which were found by structure determinations to contain one ZnS4 and two ZnN4S2 units in the trinuclear cations. Zinc acetate and MBPAH formed the thiolate-bridged dinuclear complex [(MBPA)Zn(OAc)]2 which according to its structure determination contains two ZnN2S2O units.