Substitution reactions at the Ni(III) cation in macrobicyclic complexes Reaction of metal ion complexes prepared from ligands L1 (17-oxa-1,4,8,11-tetraazabicyclo[6.5.6]nonadecane) and L2 (17-oxa-1,4,8,11-tetraazabicyclo[10.5.2]nonadecane) with chloride ion
The potentially penta-coordinating ligand L1 has been synthesized by reaction of the bridge bis-(2-(methylsulfonyl)oxyethyl)ether with the tetraazamacrocycle cyclam (cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazatetradecane). The copper(II) complex was characterized initially and subsequent demetallation provided pure L1. Electrochemical and chemical oxidation of the nickel(II) species yields a Ni(III) ion (low-spin d7, rhombic, gxx 2.195, gyy 2.189, gzz 2.027) of sufficient stability in acidic solutions for kinetic measurements to be undertaken of substitution reactions at the sixth site. The isomeric ligand L2, has been synthesized previously, and reactions of the [Ni(L1)(solv)]3+ and [Ni(L2)(solv)]3+ ions with chloride have also been investigated. In both reactions, an unusually high acid dissociation constant is observed, associated with the proposed replacement of the apical ether oxygen by a water molecule that is bound both to the metal centre and hydrogen bonded to the ether. The structure [Ni(L2)](PF6)2 (monoclinic, P21/c, a = 10.699(2), b = 13.244(4), c = 16.603(2) Å, β = 92.10(1)°) converged at R = 0.055 (R' = 0.057) for 325 parameters using 3293 reflections with I > 2σ(I). In this complex, the detachment of the ether O donor to yield a square-planar complex is confirmed. Comparisons are made with substitution rates at other Ni(III) macrocyclic ions.Key words: nickel(III), substitution, macrobicyclic ligand, synthesis, kinetics.