Triazole-Containing [FeFe] Hydrogenase Mimics: Synthesis and Electrocatalytic Behavior

Through a Cu-catalyzed Huisgen cycloaddition between terminal alkynes and azides (CuAAC) reaction, azide [(mu-SCH2)(2)N(4-N3C6H4)Fe-2(CO)(6)] has demonstrated to be a robust and versatile reagent able to incorporate the [(mu-SR)(2)Fe-2(CO)(6)] fragment on a wide range of substrates, ranging from aromatic compounds to nucleosides, metallocenes, or redox and luminescent markers. The [(FeFeI)-Fe-I]/[(FeFeI)-Fe-0] and [(FeFeI)-Fe-0]/[(FeFe0)-Fe-0] reduction potentials of the triazole derivatives prepared are comparable to those of other aminodithiolate (adt) Fe-Fe hydrogenase mimics. The presence of the triazole linker influences the electrochemical behavior of these complexes depending on the strength of the acid employed.