Methylation of zinc bound thiolates; a model for cobalamine independent methionine synthase

Abstract

Pyrazolylborate–zinc–thiolate complexes react under mild conditions with methyl iodide, dimethylsulfate and trimethylsulfonium iodide, liberating the corresponding methyl thioethers; the driving force for these reactions lies in the high nucleophilicity of the zinc-bound thiolates and the low donor quality of thioethers toward zinc.

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