Despite reactive sulfur species’ (RSS) biological importance involving cardiovascular health, the metabolic mechanisms for these compounds remain relatively unknown due to their nucleophilic nature and many oxidation states. In order to better observe RSS, it is necessary to develop analytical tools capable of binding to RSS, trapping their reactive intermediates and stabilizing the compounds without getting decomposed by the RSS itself. To achieve this RSS stabilization, our lab synthesized the tris(6-pivaloylamino-2-pyridylmethyl) amine (TPPA) receptor, which consists of a polypyridine structure and amide arms theoretically capable of donating hydrogen bonding to stabilize small molecules such as RSS. Although to our knowledge TPPA has not previously been applied to RSS binding, this amide arm motif has previously been applied to other small molecule stabilizations providing a promising design for RSS. Each chemical reaction was conducted according to a prepared synthesis route and after purification of the TPPA receptor, the receptor was fully characterized. After complete synthesis, the receptor was allowed to form a mononuclear inorganic complex with Zinc(II), resulting in the complete synthesis of an inorganic complex with a secondary coordination sphere of intramolecular forces potentially capable of stabilizing RSS.

Synthesis of a Tripodal Polypyridine Zinc(II) Complex for Reactive Sulfur Species Observation

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