Copper(II) complexes with reduced Schiff base ligands ofamino acids possessing nonpolar side chains withsalicylaldehyde have been synthesized. Ternary complexes withimidazole, 1,10-phenanthroline, and pyridinehave been prepared and characterized for
N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-
D,
L-alanine.The crystal structures of [(
N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-
D,
L-alanine)(1,10-phenanthroline)Cu(II)]monohydrate ([Cu(SAla)phen]·H
2O) and[(
N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-
D,
L-alanine)(imidazole)Cu(II)]([Cu(SAla)Him]), have been determined.[Cu(SAla)phen]·H
2Ocrystallized in space group
P![](/images/entities/onemacr.gif)
, with
a =8.718(2) Å,
b = 10.886(3) Å,
c =11.693(2) Å,
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
= 71.32(2)
![](/images/entities/deg.gif)
,
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
=85.27(2)
![](/images/entities/deg.gif)
,
![](/images/gifchars/gamma.gif)
= 70.21(2)
![](/images/entities/deg.gif)
, and
Z = 2.The copper atom is five coordinate, with SAla acting as atridentate ONOchelator through the carboxylato and phenolato oxygens and the aminenitrogen. The remaining donors are providedby the phen nitrogens. [Cu(SAla)Him] crystallized inspace group
P2
1/
n, with
a= 10.353(1) Å,
b = 6.714(1) Å,
c = 18.769(2) Å,
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
= 91.71(1)
![](/images/entities/deg.gif)
, and
Z = 4. The copper atom is four coordinate, with SAlaacting as a tridentateONO chelator with the neutral imidazole moiety coordinated throughnitrogen. In both complexes the ligand hastwo chiral centers due to the coordination of the N. Molecularmechanics calculations show that unfavorablesteric interactions would occur in the nonobserved
R,
R and
S,
S diastereomers.Compounds prepared have beencharacterized by a range of physicochemical techniques. Thecomplexes may serve as stable models for theintermediates in enzymatic amino acid transformations.