Metal complexes with macrocyclic ligands .41. Nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes with mono-N-functionalized dithiadiazamacrocycles

Three N2S2 macrocycles (3, 10, 12) carrying an amino group as a pendant arm have been synthesized and their complexation properties towards Ni2+ and Cu2+ studied. The crystal structures of the Cu2+ complexes with: 10-methyl-1,4-dithia-7,10-diazacyclododecane-7-ethanamine (3) and 11-methyl-1,4-dithia-8,11-diazacyclotetradecane-8-ethanamine (10) show that, in both cases, the Cu2+ is pentacoordinated by the four donor atoms of the macrocycle and the amino group of the aide chain. In aqueous solution, however, two forms of the complexes with stoichiometries [MLH] and [ML] (M = Cu2+ or Ni2+) have been observed. In [MLH], the amino group is protonated and does not bind to the metal ion, whereas in [ML] the amino group is bound, and a pentacoordinated geometry results. The pK(a) values for the equilibrium [ML] + H+ reversible arrow [MLH](+) decrease in the order 12 > 10 > 3, indicating that the 2-aminoethyl side chain binds better to the Cu2+ than the 3-aminopropyl side chain. Cyclic voltammetry for the Cu2+/Cu+ pair shows that the 2-aminoethyl pendant arm stabilizes the Cu2+ oxidation state, when the metal ion is in the 14-membered ring (10), whereas it stabilizes Cu+ for the 12-membered macrocycle (3).