The condensation of 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde
N-oxide and triethylenetetramine yields a product with twoimidazolidine rin
gs, as proven by a solid-state X-ray structure analysis as well as by NMR solution spectra. Thisli
gand, L
1, under
goes a rin
g-openin
g reaction on complex formation with Cu(II), yieldin
g [CuL
2]
2+ where L
2functions as a pentadentate li
gand, containin
g only one imidazolidine rin
g. On complexation with Zn(II) andFe(III), both rin
gs are opened and the complexes [ZnL
3]
2+ and [FeL
3]
3+ with a hexadentate L
3 li
gand are formed.The recrystallization of [ZnL
3]
2+ from DMSO solution results in the complex [ZnL
1(DMSO)
2]
2+ in which L
1behaves as a tetradentate li
gand. Thus L
1, L
2, and L
3 are structural isomers with two, one, or no imidazolidinerin
gs, as confirmed by X-ray structure analyses. The intramolecular rin
g formation is the result of the nucleophilicaddition of the N(amino)
group to the electrophilic sp
2-hybridized -HC
ges/gifchars/delta.gif" BORDER=0 >+=N site. Owin
g to the absence of thechelate effect on the sp
3-hybridized carbon atom belon
gin
g to the imidazolidine rin
g, the rin
g openin
g is facilitatedand readily observed upon complex formation with Cu(II), Zn(II), and Fe(III).