Synthesis and determination of metal chelate stabilities of n-alkyltriethylenetetra aminepentaacetic acid

n-Alkyl (n-C12H25- and n-C22H45-)triethylenctetraaminepentaacetic acids hav e been prepared by carboxymethylation on N-alkyltriethylenetctraanmine. The se compounds were originally developed by Miller et al., as useful chelatin g agents for the removal of actinide ions from the human body. The determin ation of the chelate stability constants, which was not performed by the or iginal authors, was performed for the C-12-derivative with Ca2+, Sr2+. Cu2, Zn2+, Ni2+, La3+, Sm3+, Er3+, and Th4+ including H+, and the stabilities were evaluated by comparison with those of triethylenetetraaminehexaacetic acid (TrHA).