X-ray structural study of a zinc(II) inclusion complex of a phenolate-pendant cyclam

The molecular structure of phenol-pendant cyclam-zinc(II) complex,4a, has been determined by X-ray structure analysis. Crystals of4a · ClO₄ · CH₃OH (C₁₆H₂₇N₄OZn · ClO₄ · CH₃OH) are monoclinic, space groupP2₁/nn, with four molecules in the unit cell of dimensionsa=31.198(2) Å,b=8.426(1) Å,c=8.214(1) Å, and=93.96(1)°. The structure was solved by the heavy atom method and refined anisotropically toR=0.044,R_w=0.062 for 1551 independent reflections. The complex assumes a five-coordinate, square pyramidal geometry, where zinc(II) is surrounded by the cyclam moiety in a planar fashion with the pendant phenolate anion occupying an axial position. An extremely short Zn-O(phenolate) bond distance of 1.983(5) Å, in conjunction with the 0.288 Å displacement of Zn(II) above the cyclam N₄ plane toward the phenolate, accounts for the extremely low pK_a value of 5.8 for the pendant phenol. These facts about4a, in comparison with the previous findings for the Ni(II) (4b) and Cu(II) complexes (4c) with the same ligand, illustrate well the characteristics of zinc(II) ion coordination properties.This paper is dedicated to the memory of the late Dr C. J. Pedersen.