Solution Equilibria and Thermodynamic Studies of Complexation of Divalent Transition Metal Ions with Some Triazoles and Biologically Important Aliphatic Dicarboxylic Acids in Aqueous Media

The formation of binary and ternary complexes of the divalent transition metal ions CuII, NiII, ZnII, and CoII with some triazoles [1,2,4-triazole (TRZ), 3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole, and 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole], and the biologically important aliphatic dicarboxylic acids adipic, succinic, malic, malonic, maleic, tartaric, and oxalic acid, was investigated in aqueous solutions using the potentiometric technique at 25 °C and I = 0.10 mol·dm−3 NaNO3. The formation of 1:1 and 1:2 binary complexes and 1:1:1 ternary complexes was inferred from the corresponding titration curves. The formation of ternary complexes occurs in a stepwise manner with the carboxylic acids acting as primary ligands. The ionization constants (pKa) of the investigated ligands were redetermined and used for determining the stability constants of the binary and ternary complexes formed in solution. The order of stability of the ternary complexes was investigated in terms of the nature of the triazole, carboxylic acid and metal ion used. The ∆log10K values, percent relative stabilization, and log10X for the ternary complexes have been evaluated and discussed. The concentration distributions of the various species formed in solution were evaluated. The ionization constants of TRZ and malic acid and stability constants of their binary and ternary complexes with CuII, NiII, and CoII metal ions were studied at four different temperatures (15, 25, 35, and 45 °C) and the corresponding thermodynamic parameters have been evaluated and discussed. The complexation behavior of ternary complexes was ascertained using conductivity measurements. In addition, the formation of ternary complexes in solution has been confirmed by using UV–visible spectrophotometry.