METAL-COMPLEXES OF BIBRACCHIAL SCHIFF-BASE MACROCYCLES

This article discusses polynuclear metal complexes of Schiff base macr ocycles and their potential application to the modelling of metallobio sites, in particular di- and tri-nuclear copper(II)-containing sites. A brief perspective of the area is presented and then the article addr esses the development of pyridinyl-derived bibracchial (doubly pendant -armed) Schiff base macrocycles and their metal complexes. The cleft-l ike configurations of the complexes bear resemblance to the metal-cont aining pockets present in metalloproteins. A 'first generation' model for the trinuclear copper site in ascorbate oxidase, and a dinuclear m anganese(II) complex bearing a single acetato-bridge, and which may ha ve relevance to the modelling of dinuclear manganese biosites, are dis cussed. An extension of the work to thiophene-derived macrocycles and their dicopper(I) complexes is also presented.