Interaction of pyridine‐ and 4‐hydroxypyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acids with heavy metal ions in aqueous solutions

Interactions between pyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid and 4‐hydroxypyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid with Cu(II), Pb(II), and Cd(II) ions were characterized in aqueous solutions (20°C; I = 0.4 (KNO₃)) by means of dc‐polarography. In solutions with excess of ligand, Cu(II), Pb(II), and Cd(II) form 1:2 complexes with the tridentate dianion of pyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid (dipic²⁻) from weak acid to alkaline solutions. The values of log β₂ for Cu(II), Pb(II), and Cd(II) are 16.1, 11.8, and 11.0, respectively. The complexing ability of pyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid is higher in acid solutions and lower in alkaline solutions than that of 4‐hydroxypyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid. This difference is attributed to the OH‐group, which can deprotonate in basic pH. In acid solutions the OH‐group acts as an electron acceptor and reduces the electron donation available to the nitrogen atom in 4‐hydroxypyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid, whereas in alkaline solutions the OH‐group is deprotonated, and the deprotonated O₋ group acts as an electron donor and increases the coordination ability of the ligand. The triple‐deprotonated anion of 4‐hydroxypyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid (chel^3‐) forms a stable diligand complex with Cu(II), the stability constant logarithm being 21.5 ± 0.2.© 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 14:625–632, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10203