Copper(II) complexes with unsymmetrical pentadentate ed3a-type diamino-tricarboxylate ligands. Crystal structures, configurational analysis and DFT study of complexes

The O-O-N-N-O-type pentadentate ligands H(3)ed3a, H(3)pd3a and H(3)pd3p (H(3)ed3a stands ethylenediamine-N,N,N'-triacetic acid; H3pd3a stands 1,3-propanediamine-N,N,N'-triacetic acid and H3pd3p stands 1,3-propanediamine-N,N,N'-tri-3-propionic acid) and the corresponding novel octahedral or square-planar/trigonal-bipyramidal copper(II) complexes have been prepared and characterized. H(3)ed3a, H(3)pd3a and H(3)pd3p ligands coordinate to copper(II) ion via five donor atoms (three deprotonated carboxylate atoms and two amine nitrogens) affording octahedral in case of ed3a(3-) and intermediate square-pyramidal/trigonal-bipyramidal structure in case of pd3a(3-) and pd3p(3-). A six coordinate, octahedral geometry has been established crystallographically for the [Mg(H2O)(6)][Cu(ed3a) (H2O)](2) center dot 2H(2)O complex and five coordinate square-pyramidal for the [Mg(H2O)(5)Cu(pd3a)][Cu(pd3a)] center dot 2H(2)O. Structural data correlating similar chelate Cu(II) complexes have been used for the better understanding the pathway: octahedral -> square-pyramidal <-> trigonal- bipyramid geometry. An extensive configuration analysis is discussed in relation to information obtained for similar complexes. The infra-red and electronic absorption spectra of the complexes are discussed in comparison with related complexes of known geometries. Molecular mechanics and density functional theory (DFT) programs have been used to model the most stable geometric isomer yielding, at the same time, significant structural data. The results from density functional studies have been compared with X-ray data. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.