Intramolecular Thiol‐Promoted Decomposition of Cysteine Ester (ITPDC): A General Platform for Controllable Release of Reactive Sulfur Species

Y Yalun Dong (State Key Laboratory of Organic‐Inorganic Composites and Beijing Key Lab of Bioprocess Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 P.R. China) H Haishun Ye (State Key Laboratory of Organic‐Inorganic Composites and Beijing Key Lab of Bioprocess Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 P.R. China) B Baifan Wang (State Key Laboratory of Elemento‐Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin China) D Dejun Ma (State Key Laboratory of Elemento‐Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin China) X Xueying Kang (State Key Laboratory of Organic‐Inorganic Composites and Beijing Key Lab of Bioprocess Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 P.R. China) W Wenfang Liang (State Key Laboratory of Organic‐Inorganic Composites and Beijing Key Lab of Bioprocess Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 P.R. China) X Xuekang Cai (State Key Laboratory of Organic‐Inorganic Composites and Beijing Key Lab of Bioprocess Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 P.R. China) S Shanshan Liu C Chenyang Jiang W Wenhao Du H Huatang Zhang H Hongyan Sun Z Zhen Xi (State Key Laboratory of Elemento‐Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin China) L Long Yi (State Key Laboratory of Extreme Photonics and Instrumentation College of Optical Science and Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310027 China)

Abstract

Abstract Endogenously generated reactive sulfur species (RSS) play critical roles in various physiological processes. RSS donors can enhance our understanding of RSS chemical biology and open new avenues for treating RSS‐associated diseases. Nevertheless, general strategies for the controllable release of distinct RSS remain lacking. Herein, we present the first general platform for controllable release of RSS with sulfur oxidation states ranging from −2 to +4, based on the intramolecular thiol‐promoted decomposition of cysteine ester ( ITPDC ). We first rationally designed ITPDC ‐based hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) donors that avoid electrophilic byproducts and exhibit high H 2 S release efficiencies (>50%). Mechanistic investigations and density functional theory calculations elucidated the detailed pathways of pH‐controllable H 2 S release from ITPDC , and computational studies also predicted other H 2 S‐related RSS release from the ITPDC ‐based motifs. Importantly, we developed a series of ITPDC ‐based donors capable of releasing various RSS, including persulfide, hydrogen persulfide, sulfenic acid, sulfinic acid, and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ). Moreover, fluorescent imaging demonstrated the successful cellular delivery of H 2 S, persulfide, and SO 2 from these donors, and the ITPDC ‐based motif was employed to create a light‐triggered donor. We anticipate that these innovative chemistries will provide valuable tools for studying sulfur biology and for developing new RSS donors and bio‐orthogonal cleavage techniques.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 64, Issue 26
Published June 24, 2025
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (14)

Y

Yalun Dong

State Key Laboratory of Organic‐Inorganic Composites and Beijing Key Lab of Bioprocess Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 P.R. China

H

Haishun Ye

State Key Laboratory of Organic‐Inorganic Composites and Beijing Key Lab of Bioprocess Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 P.R. China

B

Baifan Wang

State Key Laboratory of Elemento‐Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin China

D

Dejun Ma

State Key Laboratory of Elemento‐Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin China

X

Xueying Kang

State Key Laboratory of Organic‐Inorganic Composites and Beijing Key Lab of Bioprocess Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 P.R. China

W

Wenfang Liang

State Key Laboratory of Organic‐Inorganic Composites and Beijing Key Lab of Bioprocess Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 P.R. China

X

Xuekang Cai

State Key Laboratory of Organic‐Inorganic Composites and Beijing Key Lab of Bioprocess Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 P.R. China

S

Shanshan Liu

C

Chenyang Jiang

W

Wenhao Du

H

Huatang Zhang

H

Hongyan Sun

Z

Zhen Xi

State Key Laboratory of Elemento‐Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry Nankai University Tianjin China

L

Long Yi

State Key Laboratory of Extreme Photonics and Instrumentation College of Optical Science and Engineering Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310027 China