S-aroylthiooximes: a facile route to hydrogen sulfide releasing compounds with structure-dependent release kinetics.

We report the facile preparation of a family of S-aroylthiooxime (SATO) H2S donors, which are synthesized via a click reaction analogous to oxime formation between S-aroylthiohydroxylamines (SATHAs) and aldehydes or ketones. Analysis of cysteine-triggered H2S release revealed structure-dependent release kinetics with half-lives from 8–82 min by substitution of the SATHA ring. The pseudo-first-order rate constants of substituted SATOs fit standard linear free energy relationships (ρ = 1.05), demonstrating a significant sensitivity to electronic effects.