A chelating cyclophane has been synthesized by cyclocondensation of tw
o ethylenediaminetetraacetic (EDTA) units with two p-phenylenediamine
units: the resulting cyclophane is 1,4,7,10,17,20,23,26-octaaza[10.10]
paracyclophane, abbreviated as (bis-edtapdn)H-4. Cyclocondensation of
two EDTA and two 1,5-diaminonaphthalene units has given the naphthalen
ophane, ,22,29-tetraoxo-4,7,24,27-tetrakis(carboxymethyl)- 0,21,24,27,
30-octaaza[10.10](1,5)naphthalenophane, (bis-edtanap)H-4. Studies of e
lectronic and EPR spectra have been carried out on the binuclear Cu2complexes of these new Ligands and of related chelating cyclophanes, o
xo-4,7,27,30-tetrakis(carboxymethyl)-1,4,7,10,24, 27,30,33-octaaza[10.
1.10.1]paracyclophane, abbreviated as (bis-edtabpm)H-4, and 0,33-octaa
za-17,40-dioxa[10.1.10.1]paracyclophane, abbreviated as (bis-edtabpe)H
-4. Common features of these chelating cyclophanes are as follows: (1)
amino, amide, and pendant carboxymethyl donor groups are substituents
in the cyclophane ring, and (2) the amide groups are directly bound t
o the aromatic groups. These ligands formed neutral binuclear Cu2+ che
lales [Cu2L](0) that are water-insoluble. In alkaline solutions, these
Cu2+ complexes were converted to anionic chelates [Cu-2(LH-4)](4-) in
which deprotonated amide nitrogens coordinated Cu2+ ions. These anion
ic metal chelates of (bis-edtapdn)H-4, (bis-edtabpm)H-4, and (bis-edta
bpe)H-4 exhibited three pi-pi transition bands in the spectral range
240-340 nm, in contrast to the uncoordinated cyclophanes, which showed
a single band in this spectral range. The unusual pi-pi: transition
spectra of the [CU2(LH-4)](4-) complexes originate from the combined e
ffect of metal-ligand charge transfer and proximity of the pi systems.
The absorption and emission spectra of (bis-edtanap)H-4 were also inf
luenced by coordination with copper. The EPR spectrum of [Cu-2(bis-edt
anapH(-4))](4-) in a methanol glass matrix showed a hyperfine structur
e due to the spin exchange between two Cu2+ ions. These unusual spectr
al and magnetic properties arise from the strong coordination between
Cu2+ ions and deprotonated amide nitrogens that are bound to the pi sy
stems.