Description
Triazacyclohexanes are ligands capable of binding three metals in a trinagular aray. A range of such complexes have been prepared and characterised containing three metals - either all equal, same metal but different oxidation states or two different metals. Thus, the system is suitable to model tri-metal enzymes.
Layman's description
A triangle of three metals occurs in several enzymes (often copper). The three metalls typically serve a multi-electron reservoirs. We found a suitable simple ligand capable of binding such a tri-metal cluster and we could show that different metals or oxidation states can be built in step-wise and thus selectively to probe the properties of such clusters in different stages of their reactivity as models of the enzymes.
Key findings
Donor substituents have been found to generate air-stable tri-copper complexes which allow exchange of anionic ligands in aqueous media without loss of the metal coordination.
Step-wise synthesis of the clusters allow the selective formation and isolation of mixed oxidation-states and mixed metal clusters.
Step-wise synthesis of the clusters allow the selective formation and isolation of mixed oxidation-states and mixed metal clusters.
| Status | Finished |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 1/07/04 → 30/06/08 |
Funding
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
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Metals
Ligands
Oxidation
Copper
Enzymes
Electrons
Air