Redox switchable ligands suitable for transition metal ions: Protonation,complexation and electrochemical properties of a ferrocene-modified tetraamine diketone and its saturated analogue

Abstract

The new ferrocene-containing water-soluble ligands 1 and 2 were synthesized and their protonation and complexation properties toward Ni^II and Cu^II studied as a function of pH, by means of potentiometric titration experiments. Electrochemical measurements were performed in aqueous solution on pure 1 and 2 and in the presence of Ni^II and Cu^II cations, in the pH range 2–12, allowing us to determine the redox potential values relative to the ferrocene oxidation in the free ligands and in their Ni^II and Cu^II complexes. 1 and 2 behave as redox switchable ligands, the former enhancing, the latter decreasing its binding ability upon oxidation of the appended ferrocene function. Besides, the Cu^II complex of ligand 1 and the Ni^II complex of ligand 2 behave as two-centre two-electron redox systems, the complexed metal cation being subject to further oxidation to M^III.