Group VI transition metal carbonyl hydrosulfides Na[M(CO)5(SH)] (M = Cr, Mo, W) as water-soluble H2S-releasing agents

A class of water-soluble Group 6 transition metal carbonyl complexes carrying the SH− ligand Na[M(CO)5(SH)] (M = Cr, Mo, W) is prepared and shown to release H2S under mild conditions with no decarbonylation. Preliminary studies on mammary epithelial cells have shown that both Na[Mo(CO)5SH] reactant and Mo(CO)5(solvent) product are non-cytotoxic.