The Unusual Thermodynamic Stability Order of the First-series Transition Metal Complexes with N,N,N′-tri(2-pyridylmethyl)glycinamide and the Crystal Structure of the Nickel(II) Complex

A new pentadentate tripodal peptide ligand N,N,N′-tri(2-pyridylmethyl)glycinamide (L) has been synthesized. The crystal structure of its nickel(II) complex, NiL(H₂O)] · 1.17ClO₄ · 0.17H₃O · 0.03H₂O (1), has been determined by X-ray diffraction. In the complex, the deprotonated ligand L acts in a pentadentate fashion and coordinates to the nickel(II) ion through five nitrogen atoms, while the sixth position is occupied by a water molecule. The units of the complex are connected as a 3D honeycomb network by intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The thermodynamic properties of the ligand L with the first-series transition metal ions Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) have been investigated by potentiometric titration and the results show that the order of their stability constants does not conform to the Irving–Williams serial. The reason why the stability constants of the Cu(II) complex are unconventionally small is proposed.