Redox switchable ligands suitable for transition metal ions: Protonation, complexation and electrochemical properties of a ferrocene-modified tetraamine diketone and its saturated analogue

Abstract
The new ferrocene-containing water-soluble ligands 1 and 2 were synthesized and their protonation and complexation properties toward NiII and CuII studied as a function of pH, by means of potentiometric titration experiments. Electrochemical measurements were performed in aqueous solution on pure 1 and 2 and in the presence of NiII and CuII cations, in the pH range 2–12, allowing us to determine the redox potential values relative to the ferrocene oxidation in the free ligands and in their NiII and CuII complexes. 1 and 2 behave as redox switchable ligands, the former enhancing, the latter decreasing its binding ability upon oxidation of the appended ferrocene function. Besides, the CuII complex of ligand 1 and the NiII complex of ligand 2 behave as two-centre two-electron redox systems, the complexed metal cation being subject to further oxidation to MIII.

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