Affinity,Speciation, and Molecular Features of Copper(II) Complexes with a Prion Tetraoctarepeat Domain in Aqueous Solution: Insights into Old and New Results

Characterization of the copper(II) complexes formed with the tetraoctarepeat peptide at low and high metal‐to‐ligand ratios and in a large pH range, would provide a breakthrough in the interpretation of biological relevance of the different metal complexes of copper(II)‐tetraoctarepeat system. In the present work, the potentiometric, UV/Vis, circular dichroism (CD), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies were carried out on copper(II) complexes with a PEG‐ylated derivative of the tetraoctarepeats peptide sequence (Ac‐PEG₂₇‐(PHGGGWGQ)₄‐NH₂) and the peptide Ac‐(PHGGGWGQ)₂‐NH₂. Conjugation of tetraoctarepeat peptide sequence with polyethyleneglycol improved the solubility of the copper(II) complexes. The results enable a straightforward explanation of the conflicting results originated from the underestimation of all metal–ligand equilibria and the ensuing speciation. A complete and reliable speciation is therefore obtained with the released affinity and binding details of the main complexes species formed in aqueous solution. The results contribute to clarify the discrepancies of several studies in which the authors ascribe the redox activity of copper(II)‐tetraoctarepeat system considering only the average effects of several coexisting species with very different stoichiometries and binding modes.     

Metal complexes and solvent extraction properties of isonitrosoacetophenone 2-aminobenzoylhydrazone

Three types of copper complexes as well as an oximate-bridged nickel complex with isonitrosoacetophenone 2-aminobenzoylhydrazone (H(2)L) have been prepared in ethanolic solution and characterized by elemental analyses, IR, (1)H NMR, UV-vis and magnetic susceptibility measurement. IR spectra show the ligand coordinates as a neutral, monoanionic and dianionic O,N,N-tridentate acylhydrazoneoxime ligand depending reaction conditions and metal salts employed. The elemental analyses results, spectroscopic and magnetic data are consistent with the formation of mononuclear copper complexes and binuclear complexes with both copper and nickel. The effects of varying pH and solvent on the absorption behavior of both ligand and complexes have been investigated. The extraction ability of acylhydrazoneoxime ligand has been examined by the liquid-liquid extraction of selected transition metal [Cu(2+), Ni(2+), Co(2+), Cr(3+), Hg(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+) and Mn(2+)] cations. The ligand shows strong binding ability toward copper(II) ion.     

A study on the coordinative versatility of new N,S-donor macrocyclic ligands: XAFS, and Cu2+ complexation thermodynamics in solution

We investigated, both in the solid state and in aqueous solution, the coordination environment and stability behavior of four macrocyclic ligands (three N(2)S(2) and one N(3)S(2)) and of the corresponding Cu(II) complexes. The structural characterization in the solid state of the copper derivatives was performed by X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy. Copper is found to be 4-fold coordinated with a CuN(2)S(2) environment with different Cu-S distances depending on the size of the macrocyclic ring. The EXAFS technique has indicated that nitrogen and sulfur atoms are more preferable to oxygen atoms as donor systems, without the evidence of coordination of the carboxylic moieties to copper in the first shell. The joint EXAFS and XANES study of the copper(II) complex with the N(3)S(2) ligand confirms the 4-fold coordination with an additional, long Cu-N interaction. The Cu(2+) complexation constants for one ligand were determined in aqueous solution. The results indicate that the species [CuL], although isolated in the solid state, is not the most abundant at the pH of blood serum. Instead, at pH 7.4 the protonated [Cu(HL)](+) species was found to be the most relevant. The behaviour of the copper complexes in the presence of the strong copper chelating bioagent human serum albumin was also examined in order to gain information on the stability of these compounds in biological fluids.     

Structure, Stability, and Lability of Copper(II) Complexes with Triglycine

Equilibrium constants of complex formation, rate constants of chemical exchange reactions, and characteristics of electronic absorption spectra for species detected in aqueous solution of copper(II) with triglycine were determined, and conclusions on the structure of the complexes were made. A possibility of H-bond formation between the ammonium group of the zwitter-ionic form of the ligand and the second peptide oxygen in the anionic form of an adjacent ligand was shown. Kinetics and mechanisms of ligand and proton exchanges in solutions of copper(II) bistripeptide complexes with the ligand containing a deprotonated peptide nitrogen atom were studied. A new mechanism was proposed for hydroxide-catalyzed substitution reactions in copper(II) complexes with tripeptides.     

AQUEOUS EQUILIBRIA OF COPPER(II)- AND NICKEL(II)-POLYGLYCINE COMPLEXES

Abstract

Magnetic susceptibility measurements, new potentiometric data, optical spectra, and a new statistical method of calculation are combined in the formulation of an equilibrium scheme defining the dilute solution interactions of nickel(II) and copper(II) ions with diglycine, triglycine, and tetraglycine as a function of pH. At low pH appreciable concentrations of a previously unreported complex, MHL²⁺ (HL =polyglycine ligands) are shown to be present in all nickel(II)-polyglycine systems and in the copper(II)-triglycine system. This new protonated species is assigned a structure in which the metal ion is coordinated to the terminal carboxylate and to the adjacent peptide carbonyl oxygen with the proton residing on the terminal amino group. As the pH is raised in the 1:1 systems, MH_?1L, MH_?2L^? and MH_{_3}L^2- are formed in succession depending on the number of peptide linkages in the ligands, HL. The concentration of the monodeprotonated intermediate species NiH_?1L never exceeds 10% of the total metal ion concentration in the triglycine case and is always less than 0.5% when tetraglycine is the ligand. The dideprotonated intermediate NiH_?2L- reaches a maximum of 38% of the total metal concentration in the 1:1 Ni-tetraglycine system. An explanation is presented for this negative deviation from the predictions based on statistical grounds. Complete species distribution diagrams which include the new protonated complexes are presented and are employed to explain the differences in the interactions of copper(II) and nickel(II) ions with polyglycine ligands. Probable coordinate bonding sites suggested for the complexes formed in solution are inferred on the basis of stoichiometry, relative stabilities, and available microscopic information.     

Dioxygen reactivity of new bispidine-copper complexes

The reactivity of copper complexes of three different second-generation bispidine-based ligands (bispidine = 3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane; mono- and bis-tetradentate; exclusively tertiary amine donors) with dioxygen [(reversible) binding of dioxygen by copper(I)] is reported. The UV-vis, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, electron paramagnetic resonance, and vibrational spectra (resonance Raman) of the dioxygen adducts indicate that, depending on the ligand and reaction conditions, several different species (mono- and dinuclear, superoxo, peroxo, and hydroperoxo), partially in equilibrium with each other, are formed. Minor changes in the ligand structure and/or experimental conditions (solvent, temperature, relative concentrations) allow switching between the different forms. With one of the ligands, an end-on peroxodicopper(II) complex and a mononuclear hydroperoxocopper(II) complex could be characterized. With another ligand, reversible dioxygen binding was observed, leading to a metastable superoxocopper(II) complex. The amount of dioxygen involved in the reversible binding to Cu(I) was determined quantitatively. The mechanism of dioxygen binding as well as the preference of each of the three ligands for a particular dioxygen adduct is discussed on the basis of a computational (density functional theory) analysis.     

Electrospray mass spectrometric studies of L-carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) complexes with copper(II) or zinc ions in aqueous solution

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was used for the speciation of supramolecular assemblies formed between equimolar amounts of carnosine and copper or zinc ions in dilute aqueous solutions. In the case of pure carnosine and carnosine/copper systems, the effect of pH changes, in the range 2-9, on the complexes surviving in solution was also explored. ESI data, besides supporting previous reported results on the formation of dimeric carnosine/copper and carnosine/zinc complexes, allowed a more complete speciation of the examined systems, bringing to light the existence of bis-complex species and, in the zinc case, the formation of oligomeric species. The data obtained for the systems investigated show that ESI-MS is not only a reliable and fast technique for the analysis of the metal/ligand systems, but also an interesting tool to obtain stoichiometric information on metal complexes formed in very low concentration solutions.     

Halide and nitrite recognizing hexanuclear metallacycle copper(II) pyrazolates

Halide-centered hexanuclear, anionic copper(II) pyrazolate complexes [trans-Cu(6)((3,5-CF(3))(2)pz)(6)(OH)(6)X](-), X = Cl, Br, I are isolated in a good yield from the redox reaction of the trinuclear copper(I) pyrazolate complex [μ-Cu(3)((3,5-CF(3))(2)pz)(3)] with a halide source such as PPh(3)AuCl or [Bu(4)N]X, X = Cl, Br, or I, in air. X-ray structures of the anion-centered hexanuclear complexes show that the six copper atoms are bridged by bis(3,5-trifluoromethyl)pyrazolate and hydroxyl ligands above and below the six copper atom plane. The anions are located at the center of the cavity and weakly bound to the six copper atoms in a μ(6)-arrangement, Cu-X = ~3.1 ?. A nitrite-centered hexanuclear copper(II) pyrazolate complex [trans-Cu(6)((3,5-CF(3))(2)pz)(6)(OH)(6)(NO(2))](-) was obtained when a solution of [PPN]NO(2) in CH(3)CN was added dropwise to the trinuclear copper(I) pyrazolate complex [μ-Cu(3)((3,5-CF(3))(2)pz)(3)] dissolved in CH(3)CN, in air. Blue crystals are produced by slow evaporation of the acetonitrile solvent. The X-ray structure of [PPN][trans-Cu(6)((3,5-CF(3))(2)pz)(6)(OH)(6)(NO(2))] complex shows the nitrite anion sits in the hexanuclear cavity and is perpendicular to the copper plane with a O-N-O angle of 118.3(7)°. The (19)F and (1)H NMR of the pyrazolate ring atoms are sensitive to the anion present in the ring. Anion exchange of the NO(2)(-) by Cl(-) can be observed easily by (1)H NMR.     

Tetranuclear CoII, MnII, and CuII complexes of a novel binucleating pyrazolate ligand preorganized for the self-assembly of compact [2 x 2]-grid structures

A straightforward synthesis toward the preparation of the rigid pyrazolate ligand L(H) featuring bipyridyl side-arms is described, starting from 2,2'-bipyridyl-N-oxide as the sole organic building block. In this context, optimized procedures for the synthesis of the organic intermediates 6-acetyl-2,2'-bipyridine 1 and 6-methylcarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine 2 are reported. The new ligand comprises two proximate terpyridine-like binding sites and is shown to form discrete [2 x 2]-grid complexes with CoII, MnII, and CuII in a highly selective self-assembly process, even in the presence of excess metal precursor. The thus obtained complexes [Co4L4][Na(NO3)4](NO3) (3), [Mn4L4](PF6)4 (4), and [Cu4L4](ClO4)4 (5) are fully characterized, including X-ray crystallographic analyses, and their magnetic properties are discussed. All three complexes show weak to moderate antiferromagnetic coupling between the four nuclei. The stability of the grid structures proved very high, as dissociation or exchange between metal ions in solution was not observed in a set of competition experiments.     

Photopolymerization reactions initiated by copper (II)–amino acid chelates: Investigation of the initiating species by flash photolysis. I

Flash photolysis of copper (II)–bis(amino acid) complexes (amino acids: glutamic acid, serine, or valine) in deaerated aqueous solution produces transient species having absorption maxima at around 350 nm. The transient species are identified as copper (II)–alkyl complexes. In the case of Cu(valine)₂ at pH > 6.5 formation of Cu(II)-alkyl complex is not observed; this is interpreted to be due to the presence of two bulky methyl groups of the coordinated valine ligand, which hinders the rearrangement. Pseudo-first-order rate constants for the decay of the transients are determined at different pH with varying concentration of amino acid ligand. The free-radical species of the complexes responsible for the initiation of the vinyl polymerization reactions are identified as Cu(I)-coordinated amino acid radicals which are formed in the primary photochemical reaction of the complex. A mechanism for the secondary reactions involving the initiating species consistent with the nature of the product formed and the pH dependence of the decay of the transients is proposed.     

Homo-and heterodinuclear complexes of the tris(catecholamide) derivative of a tetraazamacrocycle with Fe3+, Cu2+ and Zn2+ metal ions

The new ditopic catecholamide 3,7,11-tris-{N-[3,4-(dihydroxybenzoyl)-aminopropyl]} derivative of a 14-membered tetraazamacrocycle containing pyridine (H(6)L(1)) has been synthesized. The protonation constants of (L(1))(6-) and the stability constants of its mono-, homo- and hetero-dinuclear complexes with Fe(3+), Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) metal ions were determined at 298.2 K and ionic strength 0.10 mol dm(-3) in KNO(3). The large overall basicity of the ligand was ascribed to the very high protonation constants of the catecholate groups, and its acid-base behaviour was correlated with the presence of tertiary nitrogen atoms and secondary amide functions. The UV-vis spectrum of the red solution of [FeL(1)](3-) complex exhibits the LMCT band of catecholate to iron(III), and its EPR spectrum revealed a typical isotropic signal of a rhombic distorted ferric centre in a high-spin state and E/D approximately 0.31, both characteristic of a tris-catecholate octahedral environment. The ligand forms with copper(II) and zinc(II) ions mono- and dinuclear protonated complexes and their stability constants were determined, except for the [ML(1)](4-) complexes as the last proton is released at very high pH. Electronic spectroscopic studies of the copper complexes revealed the involvement of catecholate groups in the coordination to the metal centre in the mono- and dinuclear copper(II) complexes. This information together with the determined stability constants indicated that the copper(II) ion can be involved in both types of coordination site of the ligand with comparable binding affinity. The EPR spectrum of [Cu(2)L(1)](2-) showed a well resolved seven-line hyperfine pattern of copper(II) dinuclear species typical of a paramagnetic triplet spin state with weak coupling between the two metal centres. Thermodynamically stable heterodinuclear complexes, [CuFeH(h)L(1)](h-1) (h = 0-3) and [CuZnH(h)L(1)](h-2) (h = 0-4), were formed as expected from a ditopic ligand having two dissimilar coordination sites. At physiological pH, the [CuFeL(1)](-) complex is formed at approximately 100%. The formation of the [CuFeH(h)L(1)](h-1) complexes in solution was supported by electronic spectroscopic measurements. The data indicated the specific coordination of each metal centre at the dissimilar sites of the ligand, the iron(III) bound to the oxygen donors of the catecholate arms and the copper(II) coordinated to the amine donors of the macrocyclic ring. The two metal centres are weakly coupled, due to the fairly large distance between them.     

Transition metal complexes of acetamidomalondihydroxamate: synthesis,spectral, thermal and electrochemical studies

Acetamidomalondihydroxamate (K₂AcAMDH) and its manganese(II), iron(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, UV–VIS, IR and magnetic susceptibility. The pK _a1 and pK _a2 values of the dihydroxamic acid in aqueous solution were found to be 8.0?±?0.1 and 9.7?±?0.1. The dihydroxamate anion AcAMDH behaves as a tetradentate bridging ligand through both hydroxamate groups, forming complexes with a metal to ligand ratio of 1?:?1 in the solid state. The FTIR spectra and thermal decompositions of the ligand and its metal complexes were recorded. The redox behavior of the complexes was investigated in aqueous solution by square wave voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry at neutral pH. In contrast to the solid state, in solution the copper(II) and zinc(II) ions form stable complex species with a metal to ligand ratio of 1?:?2. The iron(II) and nickel(II) complexes show a two-electron irreversible reduction behavior, while the copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes undergo reversible electrode reactions. The stability constants of the complexes were determined by square wave voltammetry.     

Metal-Bonded Redox-Active Triarylamines and Their Interactions: Synthesis,Structure, and Redox Properties of Paddle-Wheel Copper Complexes

Four new triphenylamine ligands with different substituents in the para position and their corresponding copper(II) complexes are reported. This study includes their structural, spectroscopic, magnetic, and electrochemical properties. The complexes possess a dinuclear copper(II) paddle-wheel core, a building unit that is also common in metal-organic frameworks. Electrochemical measurements demonstrate that the triphenylamine ligands and the corresponding complexes are susceptible to oxidation, resulting in the formation of stable radical cations. The square-wave voltammograms observed for the complexes are similar to those of the ligands, except for a slight shift in potential. Square-wave voltammetry data show that, in the complexes, these oxidations can be described as individual one-electron processes centered on the coordinated ligands. Spectroelectrochemistry reveals that, during the oxidation of the complexes, no difference can be detected for the spectra of successively oxidized species. For the absorption bands of the oxidized species of the ligands and complexes, only a slight shift is observed. ESR spectra for the chemically oxidized complexes indicate ligand-centered radicals. The copper ions of the paddle-wheel core are strongly antiferromagnetic coupled. DFT calculations for the fully oxidized complexes indicate a very weak ferromagnetic coupling between the copper ions and the ligand radicals, whereas a very weak antiferromagnetic coupling is found among the ligand radicals.     

Simple syntheses, structural diversity, and Tishchenko reaction catalysis of neutral homoleptic rare earth(II or III) 3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazolates--the structures of

The homoleptic rare-earth pyrazolate complexes [Sc(tBu2pz)3], [Ln2(tBu2pz)6] (Ln = La, Nd, Sm, Lu), [Eu4(tBu2pz)8] and the mixed oxidation state species [Yb2(tBu2pz)5] (tBu2pz = 3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazolate) have been prepared by a simple reaction between the corresponding rare-earth metal and 3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazole, in the presence of mercury, at elevated temperatures. In addition, [Yb2(tBu2pz)6] was prepared by redox transmetallation/ligand exchange between ytterbium, diphenylmercury(II) and tBu2pzH in toluene, whilst the same reactants in toluene under different conditions or in diethyl ether gave [Yb2(tBu2pz)5]. The complexes of the trivalent lanthanoids display dimeric structures [Ln2(tBu2pz)6] (Ln = La, Nd, Yb, Lu) with chelating eta2-terminal and eta2:eta2-bridging pyrazolate coordination. The considerably smaller Sc3+ ion forms monomeric [Sc(tBu2pz)3] of putative D3h molecular symmetry, with pyrazolate ligands solely eta2-bonded. [Eu4(tBu2pz)8] is a structurally remarkable tetranuclear EuII complex with two types of europium centres in a linear array. The outer two are bonded to one terminal and two bridging pyrazolates, and the inner two are coordinated by four bridging ligands. Unprecedented mu-eta5:eta2 pyrazolate ligation is observed, with each outer Eu2+ sandwiched between two eta5-bonded pyrazolate groups, which are also eta2-linked to an inner Eu2+. The two inner Eu2+ ions are linked together by two equally occupied components of each of two symmetry related, disordered pyrazolate groups with one component eta4:eta2 bridging and one eta3:eta2 bridging. [La2(tBu2pz)6] has also been shown to be a Tishchenko reaction catalyst with several organic substrates.     

Dicopper(II) complexes of a new pyrazolate-containing Schiff-base macrocycle and related acyclic ligand

Dicopper(II) complexes of two new 3,5-disubstituted-pyrazole-based ligands, bis(quadridentate) macrocyclic ligand (L1)(2-) and bis(terdentate) acyclic ligand (L2)(-), were synthesised by Schiff base condensation of 3,5-diformylpyrazole and either one equivalent of 1,3-diaminopropane or two equivalents of 2-(2-aminoethyl)pyridine in the presence of one or two equivalents of copper(II) ions, respectively. Copper(II) acetate monohydrate was employed in the synthesis of [Cu(2)(L1)(OAc)(2)], [Cu(2)(L2)(H(2)O)(2)(OAc)(3)] and [Cu(II)(2)(L1)(NCS)(2)]; in the last of these one equivalent of NaNCS per copper(II) ion was also added. The fourth complex, [Cu(2)(L2)(NCS)(2)(DMF)]BF(4), was prepared using copper(II) tetrafluoroborate hexahydrate, along with two equivalents of NaOH and six of NaSCN. All four of these dimetallic complexes have been characterised by single crystal X-ray diffraction: the two macrocyclic complexes are the first such Schiff base complexes to be so characterised. A feature common to all four of the structures is bridging of the two copper(II) centres by the pyrazolate moiety/moieties. The structure determinations show that the coordination mode of the acetate groups in both [Cu(2)(L1)(OAc)(2)].2MeOH.H(2)O and [Cu(2)(L2)(H(2)O)(2)(OAc)(3)] is unidentate as had been tentatively predicted by analysis of the infrared spectra (DeltaOCO of 199 and 208 cm(-1), respectively). The magnetochemical studies of the macrocyclic complexes, over the temperature range 4-300 K, revealed strong antiferromagnetic coupling with J = -169 and -213 cm(-1) for [Cu(2)(L1)(OAc)(2)].2H(2)O and [Cu(II)(2)(L1)(NCS)(2)].DMF respectively. The J values have been discussed in relation to a published correlation involving the CuN(pyrazolate)N(pyrazolate) angles.     

Galactose oxidase models: solution chemistry, and phenoxyl radical generation mediated by the copper status

Galactose oxidase (GO) is an enzyme that catalyzes two-electron oxidations. Its active site contains a copper atom coordinated to a tyrosyl radical, the biogenesis of which requires copper and dioxygen. We have recently studied the properties of electrochemically generated mononuclear Cu(II)-phenoxyl radical systems as model compounds of GO. We present here the solution chemistry of these ligands under various copper and dioxygen statuses: N(3)O ligands first chelate Cu(II), leading, in the presence of base, to [Cu(II)(ligand)(CH(3)CN)](+) complexes (ortho-tert-butylated ligands) or [(Cu(II))(2)(ligand)(2)](2+) complexes (ortho-methoxylated ligands). Excess copper(II) then oxidizes the complex to the corresponding mononuclear Cu(II)-phenoxyl radical species. N(2)O(2) tripodal ligands, in the presence of copper(II), afford directly a copper(II)-phenoxyl radical species. Addition of more than two molar equivalents of copper(II) affords a Cu(II)-bis(phenoxyl) diradical species. The donor set of the ligand directs the reaction towards comproportionation for ligands possessing an N(3)O donor set, while disproportionation is observed for ligands possessing an N(2)O(2) donor set. These results are discussed in the light of recent results concerning the self-processing of GO. A path involving copper(II) disproportionation is proposed for oxidation of the cross-linked tyrosinate of GO, supporting the fact that both copper(I) and copper(II) activate the enzyme.     

Complexation behaviour and stability of Schiff bases in aqueous solution. The case of an acyclic diimino(amino) diphenol and its reduced triamine derivative

The copper(II), nickel(II), and zinc(II) complexes of the acyclic Schiff base H(2)L(A), obtained by [1 + 2] condensation of 1,2-ethanediamine,N-(2-aminoethyl)-N-methyl with 3-ethoxy-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and of H(2)L(B), the reduced derivative of H(2)L(A), were prepared and their properties studied by IR, NMR and SEM-EDS. In these complexes, the metal ion is always located in the coordination chamber of the ligand delimited by two phenol oxygens and nitrogen atoms (either aminic or iminic). The coordination behaviour of H(2)L(A) and H(2)L(B) towards H(+), Cu(2+), Ni(2+) and Zn(2+) in aqueous solution at 298 K and mu = 0.1 mol dm(-3) (Na)ClO(4) was also studied by potentiometric, NMR and UV-VIS measurements. In particular, potentiometric equilibrium studies indicate that H(2)L(A) is not stable enough to have a pH range in which it is the sole species in aqueous solution. In such a solution, the Schiff base forms over a limited pH range, between 6 and 10, with a maximum formation percentage at pH approximately 9. In addition, the involvement of imine nitrogens in the complexes markedly stabilises the azomethylene linkage, so that the metal complexes of H(2)L(A), particularly those of copper(II), are the species largely prevailing in solutions with pH >3.5. The stability constants of the complexes formed by metal ions with H(2)L(A) and H(2)L(B) follow the order Cu(2+) > Ni(2+) > Zn(2+); distribution plots show that copper(II) gives complexes more stable with H(2)L(A), whereas Ni(2+) and Zn(2+) prefer the reduced ligand, H(2)L(B).     

A new branched phenanthroline derivative ligand: synthesis, solution chemistry, and crystal structures of copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes

The synthesis and characterization of the new ligand 2,9-bis[N,N-bis(2-aminoethyl)aminomethyl]-1,10-phenanthroline (L) are reported. L contains two diethylenetriamine units connected on the central nitrogen atom by a 1,10-phenanthroline group forming a symmetrical branched ligand. The basicity and binding properties of L toward Cu(II) and Zn(II) in aqueous solution were determined by means of potentiometric, UV-vis, fluorescence, and 1H and 13C NMR techniques. L behaves as pentaprotic base under the experimental conditions used; from HL+ to H4L4+ species it is the secondary amine functions that are protonated while in the H5L5+ species also the phenanthroline is involved in protonation. L does not show fluorescence properties in the range of pH (0-14) investigated. It forms both mono- and dinuclear stable species where the phenanthroline is directly involved with both nitrogens in the coordination of the first metal which is coordinated in a pentacoordination environment also by one dien unit. The other dien unit undergoes easy protonation in the mononuclear complex while it binds the second metal in the dinuclear species. For this reason, L, in providing two different binding areas for metal coordination, behaves as an unsymmetrical compartmental ligand; one area is formed by one dien unit and by the phenanthroline, and the other by the remaining dien unit. This produces unsymmetrical metal complexes both for the mono- and dinuclear species; however, the role of the binding areas is fast exchanging in aqueous solution, at least on the NMR time scale. Solution studies and the three crystal structures of the [Zn(H2L)]4+, [[Cu(H2L)](ClO4)]3+, and [[Cu2LCl2](ClO4)]+ species highlight the unsymmetrical compartmental behavior of L as well as the host properties of the complexes in adding exogenous ligands such as hydroxide, pherchlorate, and chloride anions.     

Equilibria of 3-pyridylmethanol with copper(II). A comparative electron spin resonance study by the decomposition of spectra in liquid and frozen solutions

The copper(II)-3-pyridylmethanol (L) system was investigated in aqueous solution by two-dimensional ESR evaluation at 298 K, and computer simulation of the individual anisotropic spectra at 77 K. The data revealed that the paramagnetic copper(II) complexes [CuL] (2+), [CuL 2] (2+), [CuL 3] (2+), and [CuL 4] (2+) are formed up to pH approximately 7 at a moderate or high excess of ligand. As compared with chelating ligands, two differences were observed for the complexation of 3-pyridylmethanol with copper(II): (1) In contrast with the well-resolved spectra in frozen solution, considerable line-broadening and distortion of the spectral shapes were seen at 298 K, which was interpreted in terms of isomeric equilibria and the medium-rate interconversion of various complexes on the ESR time-scale. (2) At low temperature, there were dramatic changes in the concentration distribution, the minor complexes with higher numbers of coordinating ligands ([CuL 3] (2+) and in particular [CuL 4] (2+)) becoming strongly favored. This phenomenon is explained by the significant differences in the formation enthalpy values of various species, shifting the equilibria according to the van't Hoff equation, and a significant undercooling in the course of fast freezing of the solution, which enhances the changes of the concentration distribution.