Structural Mimics of the [Fe]-Hydrogenase: A Complete Set for Group VIII Metals.

A set of structural mimics of the [Fe]-hydrogenase active site comprising all the group VIII metals, viz., [M(2-NHC(O)C5H4N)(CO)2(2-S-C5H4N)], has been synthesized. They exist as a mixture of isomers in solution, and the relative stability of the isomers depends on the nature of the metal and the substituent at the 6-position of the pyridine ligand.