Stereoselective coordination chemistry of the tetradentate chelating ligand (2R,3R )-bis(2,2′-dipyridyl-5-methoxyl)butane

Prabaharan, Ravi and Fletcher, Nicholas C. (2003) Stereoselective coordination chemistry of the tetradentate chelating ligand (2R,3R )-bis(2,2′-dipyridyl-5-methoxyl)butane. Dalton Transactions, 2003 (12). pp. 2558-2563. ISSN 1477-9226

Abstract

The enantiomerically pure ligand L3RR (2R,3R)-bis(2,2′-dipyridyl-5-methoxyl)butane has been synthesised by linking two 2,2′-bipyridine units with (2R,3R)-butandiol. The reaction of L3RR with Zn(II) afforded a mononuclear species and the 1H NMR spectroscopy points to a C1 symmetry, expected for a distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination environment. These observations were confirmed by MM2 calculations and electrospray mass spectrometry. The reaction of L3RR with iron(II) indicated the formation of a dinuclear species by mass spectrometry. Solution state CD spectroscopy indicates that both complexes adopt a A-configuration, implying a single stranded dinuclear iron(II) complex is present rather than the anticipated triple helical architecture.