Selective Imidazolidine Ring Opening during Complex Formation of Iron(III), Copper(II), and Zinc(II) with a Multidentate Ligand Obtained from 2-Pyridinecarboxaldehyde N-Oxide and Triethylenetetramine

• Published in: Inorganic chemistry 2000-07, Vol.39 (15), p.3205-3212
• Main Authors: Boča, M, Baran, P, Boča, R, Fuess, H, Kickelbick, G, Linert, W, Renz, F, Svoboda, I
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0020-1669; 1520-510X
• DOI: 10.1021/ic9914037

The condensation of 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde N-oxide and triethylenetetramine yields a product with two imidazolidine rings, as proven by a solid-state X-ray structure analysis as well as by NMR solution spectra. This ligand, L1, undergoes a ring-opening reaction on complex formation with Cu(II), yielding [CuL2]2+ where L2 functions as a pentadentate ligand, containing only one imidazolidine ring. On complexation with Zn(II) and Fe(III), both rings are opened and the complexes [ZnL3]2+ and [FeL3]3+ with a hexadentate L3 ligand are formed. The recrystallization of [ZnL3]2+ from DMSO solution results in the complex [ZnL1(DMSO)2]2+ in which L1 behaves as a tetradentate ligand. Thus L1, L2, and L3 are structural isomers with two, one, or no imidazolidine rings, as confirmed by X-ray structure analyses. The intramolecular ring formation is the result of the nucleophilic addition of the N(amino) group to the electrophilic sp2-hybridized −HCδ+N site. Owing to the absence of the chelate effect on the sp3-hybridized carbon atom belonging to the imidazolidine ring, the ring opening is facilitated and readily observed upon complex formation with Cu(II), Zn(II), and Fe(III).