Comparison of the Complexation of Open-Chain and Cyclic N2S2 Ligands with Cu+ and Cu2+

The complexation properties of the open-chain N₂S₂ ligands 1–4 are described and compared to those of analogous N₂S₂ macrocycles 5–7 . With Cu²⁺, the open-chain ligands give complexes with the stoichiometry CuL²⁺ and CuLOH⁺, the stabilities and absorption spectra of which have been determined. The ligand field exerted by these ligands is relatively constant and independent of the length of the chain. With Cu⁺, the species CuLH, CuLH²⁺, and CuL⁺ were identified and their stabilities measured. The redox potentials calculated from the equilibrium constants and measured by cyclic voltammetry agree and lie between 250 and 280 mV against SHE. The comparison between open-chain and cyclic ligands shows that (1) a macrocyclic effect is found for Cu²⁺ but not for Cu⁺, (2) the ligand-field strength is very different for the two types of ligands, and (3) the redox potentials span a larger interval for the macrocyclic than for the open-chain complexes.