Syntheses, equilibrium, and structural studies of copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes with a tripodal alanine-based ligand

Abstract

A heptadentate ligand, tris[(L)-alanyl-2-carboxamidoethyl]amine (H3trenala), has been synthesized as its tetrahydrochloride salt; its protonation constants and the stability constants of the copper(II) and nickel(II) chelates have been determined by potentiometry. Mononuclear species with protonated, neutral, or deprotonated forms of the ligand, [Cu(H5trenala)]4+, [M(H4trenala)]3+, [M(H3trenala)]2+, [M(H2trenala)]+, and [M(Htrenala)] (M = Cu2+ and Ni2+) have been detected in all cases, while only Cu2+ gives dinuclear [Cu2(H2trenala)]2+, [Cu2(Htrenala)]2+, [Cu2(trenala)]+, and [Cu2(trenala)(OH)] species. Two dinuclear copper(II) complexes have been prepared and characterized by spectroscopic techniques (IR, UV-Vis, mass electro-spray) and thermogravimetric analysis.