Bis-axial cyanide coordination induces high nucleophilicity of the in-plane thiolato ligands bound to a Co(III) center: model complexes related to the Co-containing nitrile hydratases

In situ cyanide bis-axial coordination of a square planar complex [CoIIIN2S2]−, containing a di-N-carboxamido and dithiolato tetradentate ligand, generates the highly nucleophilic species [CoIIIN2S2(CN)2]3−. Its di-S-chloromethylation and di-S-oxygenation products were isolated and structurally characterized.