Vivid biofluorescence discovered in the nocturnal Springhare (Pedetidae).

Biofluorescence has been detected in several nocturnal-crepuscular organisms from invertebrates to birds and mammals. Biofluorescence in mammals has been detected across the phylogeny, including the monotreme duck-billed platypus (Ornithorhyncus anatinus), marsupial opossums (Didelphidae), and New World placental flying squirrels (Gluacomys spp.). Here, we document vivid biofluorescence of springhare (Pedetidae) in both museum specimens and captive individuals-the first documented biofluorescence of an Old World placental mammal. We explore the variation in biofluorescence across our sample and characterize its physical and chemical properties. The striking visual patterning and intensity of color shift was unique relative to biofluorescence found in other mammals. We establish that biofluorescence in springhare likely originates within the cuticle of the hair fiber and emanates, at least partially, from several fluorescent porphyrins and potentially one unassigned molecule absent from our standard porphyrin mixture. This discovery further supports the hypothesis that biofluorescence may be ecologically important for nocturnal-crepuscular mammals and suggests that it may be more broadly distributed throughout Mammalia than previously thought.

Sterically Stabilized Terminal Hydride of a Diiron Dithiolate.

The kinetically robust hydride [t-HFe2(Me2pdt)(CO)2(dppv)2]+ ([t-H1]+) (Me2pdt2- = Me2C(CH2S-)2; dppv = cis-1,2-C2H2(PPh2)2) and related derivatives were prepared with 57Fe enrichment for characterization by NMR, FT-IR, and NRVS. The experimental results were rationalized using DFT molecular modeling and spectral simulations. The spectroscopic analysis was aimed at supporting assignments of Fe-H vibrational spectra as they relate to recent measurements on [FeFe]-hydrogenase enzymes. The combination of bulky Me2pdt2- and dppv ligands stabilizes the terminal hydride with respect to its isomerization to the 5-16 kcal/mol more stable bridging hydride ([µ-H1]+) with t1/2(313.3 K) = 19.3 min. In agreement with the nOe experiments, the calculations predict that one methyl group in [t-H1]+ interacts with the hydride with a computed CH···HFe distance of 1.7 Å. Although [t-H571]+ exhibits multiple NRVS features in the 720-800 cm-1 region containing the bending Fe-H modes, the deuterated [t-D571]+ sample exhibits a unique Fe-D/CO band at ∼600 cm-1. In contrast, the NRVS spectra for [µ-H571]+ exhibit weaker bands near 670-700 cm-1 produced by the Fe-H-Fe wagging modes coupled to Me2pdt2- and dppv motions.

Diiron Dithiolate Hydrides Complemented with Proton-Responsive Phosphine-Amine Ligands.

The reaction of Fe2(pdt)(CO)6 with two equivalents of Ph2PC6H4NH2 (PNH2) affords the amido hydride HFe2(pdt)(CO)2(PNH2)(PNH) {[H1H]0, pdt2- = CH2(CH2S-)2}. Isolated intermediates in this conversion include Fe2(pdt)(CO)5-(κ1-PNH2) and Fe2(pdt)(CO)4(κ2-PNH2). X-ray crystallographic analysis of [H1H]0 shows that the chelating amino/amido-phosphine ligands occupy trans-dibasal positions. The 31P NMR spectrum indicates that [H1H]0 undergoes rapid proton exchange between the amido and amine centers. No exchange was observed for the hydride. Protonation of [H1H]0 gives [HFe2(pdt)(CO)2(PNH2)2]+ ([H21H]+), which contains two equivalent amino-phosphine ligands. Single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis of [H21H]+ also reveals hydrogen bonds between the exo amine protons with a THF molecule and BF4. Deprotonation of [H1H]0 with potassium tert-butoxide gave [HFe2(pdt)(CO)2(PNH)2]- ([1H]-), which was characterized spectroscopically. The complex has time-averaged C2 symmetry with two amido-phosphine ligands. FTIR spectroscopic measurements show that υCO shifts by approximately 20 cm-1 in the series [1H]-, [H1H]0, and [H21H]+. These shifts are comparable to those seen for the S-protonation of the (NC)2(CO)Fe-(µ-Scys)2Ni(Scys)2 site in the [NiFe]-hydrogenases.[1].