Ethylphosphinediacetic acid: synthesis,characterization and coordinating behaviour towards Ca(II), Ni(II) and Hg(II) ions in solution

The new ligand, ethylphosphinediacetic acid, H₂Z, was synthesized and characterized by spectral methods. The Z^2? anion is protonated in three steps with the pK values of 6.10 (phosphorus atom), 2.75 and 0.9 (carboxyl groups). The ligand is highly selective for soft metal ions as demonstrated by the stability constants of the water-soluble complexes CaHZ-(logβ_CaHZ^HZ 0.73), NiZ₂^2? (log β₂ 9.06) and HgZ₄^6? (log β₄ 40.9). The di in behaviour compared to related phosphineacetic acids are mainly consequences of the high basicity of the phosphorus atom.