CYCLOPENTADIENYL IRON DICARBONYL (ETA(1)-N-PHTHALIMIDATO) COMPLEXES CONTAINING AN ISOTHIOCYANATE FUNCTION - SYNTHESIS AND APPLICATION TO PROTEIN SIDE-CHAIN SELECTIVE LABELING

The two first transition metal carbonyl isothiocyanates were prepared in high yield within two steps from photolysis of CpFe(CO)(2)I and 3- or 4-aminophthalimide in the presence of diisopropylamine followed by reaction with thiophosgene/triethylamine. Their reaction with a model amino acid, i.e. p-alanine, was performed and led to the expected thio ureas. When reacted with bovine serum albumin in aqueous medium, conju gates bearing 6-10 iron-carbonyl fragments were obtained and character ized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thus demonstrating th e usefulness of these reagents for the selective and covalent labeling of proteins.