Mixed-ligand cyanide cobalt(III) complexes with 1,2-cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid: Synthesis and photochemical properties

[Co(CN)₂(H₃Cdta)] · 2H₂O (I) and Na₂[Co(CN)(Cdta)] · 3H₂O (II) (Cdta⁴⁻ is the 1,2-cyclohexanediaminetetraacetate) were synthesized. In I, the two cyanide ions and the Cdta nitrogen atoms are located in the equatorial plane, the carboxyl groups connected to different N atoms are in axial positions; in addition one of them, like two other uncoordinated carboxyl groups, is protonated. In II, Cdta is a pentadentate ligand coordinated in the cis-equatorial mode. UV excitation of the dicyano complexes at the ligand-to-metal charge transfer band gives organic derivatives of cobalt(III) stable enough for chromatographic isolation. Photolysis of II in neutral medium gives aqua(cyclohexanediaminetriacetato)cobalt (III) complexes as the final products.