Formation of Zinc(II) and Cadmium(II) Complexes with Pyridine Oxime Ligands in Aqueous Solution

Complex formation equilibria involving pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde oxime (1), 1-(2-pyridinyl)ethanone oxime (2) and 6-methylpyridine-2-carboxaldehyde oxime (3), HL, with zinc(II) and cadmium(II) ions were studied in aqueous 0.1 M NaCl solution at 25° C by potentiometric titrations with a glass electrode. Experimental data were analysed with the least-squares computer program SUPERQUAD to determine the complexes formed and their stability constants. With Ligands 1 and 2 the sets of complexes for Zn(II) and Cd(II) are essentially the same, mono- and dinuclear oxime complexes and their deprotonated/hydrolysed products H_pM_q(HL)^2q+p _r. Owing to the steric requirements of the 6-methyl group, sets of complexes formed with 3 are distinctly different. For zinc(II), only dinuclear oximato species H_pZn₂(HL)^4q+p ₂ ( p = ? 2, ? 3, ? 4) are found, while for the larger cadmium(II) ion mononuclear oximato species CdL⁺ and CdL₂ are detected in addition to the dinuclear complex H_pCd₂(HL)^4q+p ₂ ( p = ? 3).