CHARACTERIZATION AND CATECHOLASE-MIMETIC BEHAVIOR OF IMIDAZOLE ADDUCTS OF COPPER(II) VALPROATE - CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE OF THE 2-METHYLIMIDAZOLEADDUCT

Four mononuclear imidazole adducts of copper(II) valproate have been p repared and characterized with IR, UV-Vis, EPR spectroscopic technique s and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. The catecholase-mimetic catalytic activities of the complexes have been determined by monitor ing the formation of o-quinone from catechol. The catalytic activities of the mononuclear complexes are lower than that of the dinuclear cop per(II) valproate. The complexes with 2-methylimidazole and 1,2-dimeth ylimidazole show slightly lower activities that the imidazole and N-me thylimidazole complexes. The structure of Cu(Val)2(2mIM)2 (Val = valpr oate; 2mIm = 2-methylimidazole) has been determined. The complex cryst allizes in the P2(1)/c space group with unit cell dimensions of a - 9. 309(l), b = 12.456(2), c = 12.560(2) angstrom, beta = 99.84(1)-degrees , V = 1435.0(3) angstrom3, Z = 2.