Syntheses and Comparative Base Hydrolysis Reactions of Chlorocobalt(III) Complexes of Pendant-Arm Macrocyclic Polyamines and Polyamino Acids

Abstract

Chlorocobalt(III) complexes of the pendant-arm macrocycles 1,4,8,12-tetraazacyclopentadecane-10-carboxylate (2) and 1,5,9,13-tetraazabicyclo[11.2.2]heptadecane-7-carboxylate (4) have been prepared to complement the known complexes of 10-methyl-1,4,8,12-tetraazacyclopentadecan-10-amine (1) and 7-methyl-1,5,9,13-tetraazabicyclo[11.2.2]heptadecan-7-amine (3). The pairs (1),(3) and (2),(4) differ in replacement of pendant amine and methyl groups in the former pair by a pendant carboxylate group and hydrogen in the latter pair. The macromonocyclic ligands (1) and (2) form cis-chlorocobalt(III) complexes whereas the macrobicyclic ligands (3) and (4) (which contain an additional –CH₂–CH₂– ‘strap’ linking two amines) form trans-chlorocobalt(III) complexes, defined in terms of location of the pendant donor and the chloride donor. Chloride base hydrolysis kinetics varies with ligand {cis-[Co(1)Cl]²⁺, k_OH 6700 dm³ mol^-1 s^-1 ; cis-[Co(2)Cl] ⁺, k_OH 1800 dm³ mol^-1 s^-1;trans-[Co(3)Cl]²⁺, k_OH 3450 dm³ mol^-1 s^-1; trans-[Co(4)Cl]⁺, k_OH 2250 dm³ mol^-1 s^-1 at 25°C}. Variations in rate constant are tied mainly to variations in activation enthalpy. Chloride hydrolyses occur with retention of configuration, but slow following isomerization can lead to products such as trans-[Co(2)(OH₂)] (ClO₄)₂.2H₂O, which crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c, a 9·581(2), b 16·214(2), c 14·350(2) Å and β 94·66(1)°. The pendant carboxylate group and two adjacent secondary amines necessarily occupy an octahedral face, with the water molecule bound trans to the pendant carboxylate. The four Co–N distances range from 1·981(2) to 2·22(3) Å, and along with carboxylate Co–O (1·882(3) Å) and water Co-O (1·934(2) Å) distances are similar to usual distances in cobalt(III) complexes.