Co-ordination ability of Cu 2+ ion toward the nucleobase-amino acid willardiine

Abstract

The complex formation between Cu II and dl-willardiine [1-(2-amino-2-carboxyethyl)uracil], an analog of phenylalanine containing the uracil residue, was investigated by potentiometric and spectral studies. The results indicate that the primary metal binding site of the ligand is the α-amino-carboxylate chelating set. The uracil moiety, however, can coordinate the metal ion in basic solution giving rise to intermolecular bridging.