Synthesis, Equilibrium, and Kinetic Properties of the Gadolinium (III) Complexes of Three Triazacyclodecanetriacetate Ligands

E. Brucher, S. Cortes, F. Chavez, A. D. Sherry

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

71 Scopus citations

Abstract

Three new 10-membered-ring triaza tricarboxylate ligands have been synthesized and the formations of their Gd3+ complexes examined. The ligands 1,4,7-triazacyclodecane-N,N′,N″-triacetate (DETA3-), 9-methyl-1,4,7-triazacyclodecane-N,N′,N″-triacetate (MeDETA3-), and 9,9-dimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclodecane-N,N′,N″-triacetate (Me2DETA3-) have an unusually high first protonation constant (log K1 ≈ 14-15), and evidence is presented for the formation of a strongly hydrogen-bonded proton between the two nitrogens that share the propylene bridge in the monoprotonated forms of these chelates. Exchange of the hydrogen-bonded proton is slow below 0 °C, and its 1H NMR signal has been detected. Complexation with Gd3+ is also slow, preventing determination of metal ion-ligand stabilities by potentiometry. Conditional stability constants for Gd(DETA), Gd(MeDETA), and Gd-(Me2DETA) were measured by using a proton relaxivity technique and compared with similar data for the 9-membered-ring macrocyclic complex Gd(NOTA). The rates of formation of Gd(DETA) and Gd(MeDETA) are similar, while Gd(Me2DETA) forms more slowly. The rate-determining step of complexation is proton loss and rearrangement of a monoprotonated intermediate, formed in a fast preequilibrium reaction. Dissociation of the complexes takes place both in a spontaneous fashion and through a proton-assisted pathway. The rate of both processes decreases in the order Gd(Me2DETA) ≫ Gd(NOTA) > Gd(DETA) > Gd(MeDETA). An increase in ring size from 9 to 10 and substitution of a methyl group onto a ring carbon of the ligand lead to increased kinetic stabilities of the complexes. The substitution of two methyl groups onto a ring carbon, however, results in a significant decrease in both the thermodynamic and kinetic stabilities of the resulting Gd3+ complex.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2092-2097
Number of pages6
JournalInorganic Chemistry
Volume30
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 1991

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry

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