EXAFS study of copper complexes with azomethinic ligand environment

A series of copper metallochelates C₂₂H₁₈CuN₄O₂ X (X = Se, S, O) as models of active centers of natural metalloproteins have been synthesized on the basis of new azomethine ligand systems. The structure of the complexes has been studied by extended X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy. It is shown that, in the metallochelates with X = Se or S, one azomethine chalcogen-containing ligand undergoes tridentate interaction with copper ions, while the other ligand is an acetate group. As a result, a complex with the N₂O₂ X environment is formed, where one of the oxygen atoms of the acetate group is at a large distance from the metal ion: R = 2.56–2.68 Å. For the metallochelate with X = O, coordination of the acetate group by a copper ion is found to be absent, and only interaction with azomethine ligands having average Cu-N/O distances R = 1.96–2.04 Å is observed.