Pyridyl-, bipyridyl-, and terpyridyl-functionalised azamacrocycles

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Abstract
A series of azamacrocycles which have been N-functionalised with pendent pyridylmethyl-(pyCH2-), bipyridylmethyl-(bipyCH2-) and terpyridylmethyl- (terpyCH2-) arms have been synthesised and characterised, and some of their coordination chemistry with transition metal ions is reported. By attaching the pendent-arms at the 5- rather than the 6-position of the py, bipy and terpy, new ligands are generated which can be used to form polynuclear metal complexes in a controlled and systematic fashion. Fluorescent pH and transition metal ion sensors have been developed by reacting the azamacrocyclic N-pendent bipyCH2 arm(s) with cis-[Ru(bipy)2Cl2], to give macrocycles with up to four attached [Ru(bipy)3]2+ groups. That based on 1,4,7-triazacyclononane (9N3), with three attached [Ru(bipy)3]2+ groups, has a first photo excited state pKa of 7.1, and is a useful fluorescent sensor for physiological pH at below micromolar concentrations. The analogous derivative of cyclam (1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) carrying four [Ru(bipy)3]2+ groups has a first photo excited state pKa of 5.7, allowing kinetic and thermodynamic fluorescence studies of metal ion uptake by an azamacrocycle at neutral pH without complications from protonated species. A pre-organised hexadentate tris(2,2′-bipyridyl) chelating ligand, 1,4,7-tris(2′,2″-bipyridyl-5′-ylmethyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane (L) has been developed, and crystal structures of mononuclear complexes [M(LH)]3+ (M = Ru, Cu) are reported. In [M(LH)]3+ the azamacrocyclic N-atoms are non-coordinating to M, but have a very high affinity for a single proton trapped in the macrocyclic cavity. An analogous and potentially nonadentate ligand has been developed based on 9N3 with three N-pendent terpyCH2-arms.

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