Metal ion recognition. Interaction of new oxygen-nitrogen donor macrocycles with selected transition and post-transition metal ions

As part of an ongoing investigation of the factors influencing metal ionrecognition, we have investigated structure/function relationships involvingthe metal-ion binding by three new N-benzyl-substituted, 15- and 16-membered,macrocyclic ligands incorporating N2O 3- and N 3O 3-donor sets (withthe N 3O 3-system consisting of a N 2O 3-macrocyclic ring with an attachedCH 2CH 2NCH 2C 6H 5 pendant arm). Selected solid complexes of thelatter ligand were isolated and the X-ray structures of individual Ni(II) and Ag(I) complexeswere obtained. Where solubility permitted, potentiometric titration studies in 95% methanolwere employed to investigate the binding affinities of all three ligand derivativestowards Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Ag(I) and Pb(II). The 15-memberedN 2O 3-ring was found to be selective for Ag(I) over the other six metalsinvestigated, including Cu(II). However, the presence of a further nitrogen donorin the form of the pendant benzylamine functionality in the N 3O 3-donorsystem results in an increase in its binding affinity for Ag(I) but an even greaterincrease occurs for Cu(II). As a consequence, the latter ion is now more stronglybound than Ag(I). The factors influencing these respective selectivities are discussed