Twelve-, fourteen- and sixteen-membered macrocyclic ligands and a study of the effect of ring size on ligand field strength

Complexes of Cr^III and Ni^II with a macrocyclic tetradendate 12-, 14- and 16-membered nitrogen donor ligand were prepared and characterized on the basis of elemental analysis, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility measurements, i.r., electronic and e.p.r. spectra. The complexes are of the high-spin type. The effect of ring size on the Dq_(xy) value is also discussed and the field strength was found to have a maximum value for the 14-membered ring, when metal ion fits best into the cavity rather than when the metal ion is compressed by the macrocycle.