Thermodynamic and electron-transfer properties of copper(II/I) polyaminothiaether complexes

In electron-transfer reactions, the change in the oxidation states of the reactants is generally accompanied by structural changes, which influence the electron-transfer kinetics. Previous studies on the systems of Cu(II)/(I) complexes involving cyclic tetrathiaether ligands indicated that inversion of coordinated donor atoms is a major geometric change during the overall electron-transfer process. Complex formation and isomerization studies on complexes with the 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane ligand have demonstrated that a necessary condition for conformational change is deprotonation followed by inversion of coordinated N atoms. When one or more nitrogen donor atoms in a ligand are replaced with sulfur, there is a choice of N or S inversion. It has been hypothesized that donor atom inversion (N or S donors) is a major factor that can lead to conformationally limited electron-transfer kinetics of copper systems. In the current study, the thermodynamic properties, electron-transfer kinetics and conformational changes in copper(II)[1,4,8-trithia-11-azacyclotetradecane], copper(II)[1,8-dithia-4,11-diazacyclotetradecane] and copper(II)[1,11,-dithia-4,8-diazacyclotetradecane] were determined in order to determine the effect of inversion of coordinated N atoms on electron-transfer rates as a function of low concentrations of water in an aprotic solvent (acetonitrile). By using controlled amounts of water as a hydrogen ion acceptor, deprotonation of amine nitrogen and nitrogen donor inversion was followed by comparing self-exchange rate constants for reduction and oxidation of the copper complexes. Data on thermodynamic properties and electron-transfer kinetics are presented. Possible conformational changes and kinetic pathways for complexes with ligands having mixed N and S donor sets are presented.