Potentiometric and spectroscopic measurements were used to characteriz
e the binding ability of alpha-hydroxymethyl-serine(Hms) with copper(I
I) and oxovanadium(IV) ions. The ligand was found to be generally a mo
re efficient chelating agent than serine. Both of the deprotonated hyd
roxyl groups of Hms can be involved in coordination to vanadyl ions, w
hereas copper(II) binds in the same way as with serine.