Synthesis and characterization of Cu(II) paddlewheel complexes possessing fluorinated carboxylate ligands

The goal of this study was to establish the relationship between the ¹⁹F NMR line broadening and the varying distance between the ¹⁹F nucleus and copper(II) ion, with the aim of gathering data that can be used to interpret ¹⁹F NMR spectra of subsequent fluorine-labeled, copper-binding proteins. Fluorinated alkyl and aryl copper(II) carboxylates were synthesized from fluorinated carboxylic acids and Cu(OH)₂. The copper(II) carboxylates were characterized using ¹⁹F NMR, IR, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. In the alkyl carboxylate compounds, the line broadening and chemical shift lessened with increased distance between the fluorine atom and the copper ions; however, in the aryl carboxylate derivatives, increased distance was not a factor in the amount of line broadening or change in chemical shift between the acid and metal salt. The compound, bis(3-(trifluoromethyl)butyrate) copper(II) (5) was found to possess the optimum combination of decreased line broadening and increased chemical shift sensitivity in ¹⁹F NMR. The crystal structures obtained for compounds 1, 2, 4, and 6 were analogous to previous copper(II) carboxylate complexes, though it is noted that compound 6, bis(5,5,5-trifluoropentanoate) copper(II) assumes a tetrameric structure lacking apical ligands, and thus enables the formation of an extended network of near-neighbor copper(II) ions.