trans-Methylpyridine cyclen versus cross-bridged trans-methylpyridine cyclen. Synthesis, acid-base and metal complexation studies (metal = Co2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+)

A Bridge too Far? Comparison of Transition Metal Complexes of Dibenzyltetraazamacrocycles with and without Ethylene Cross-Bridges: X-ray Crystal Structures, Kinetic Stability, and Electronic Properties

Tetraazamacrocycles, cyclic molecules with four nitrogen atoms, have long been known to produce highly stable transition metal complexes. Cross-bridging such molecules with two-carbon chains has been shown to enhance the stability of these complexes even further. This provides enough stability to use the resulting compounds in applications as diverse and demanding as aqueous, green oxidation catalysis all the way to drug molecules injected into humans. Although the stability of these compounds is believed to result from the increased rigidity and topological complexity imparted by the cross-bridge, there is insufficient experimental data to exclude other causes. In this study, standard organic and inorganic synthetic methods were used to produce unbridged dibenzyl tetraazamacrocycle complexes of Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn that are analogues of known cross-bridged tetraazamacrocycles and their transition metal complexes to allow direct comparison of molecules that are identical except for the cross-bridge. The syntheses of the known tetraazamacrocycles and the new transition metal complexes were successful with high yields and purity. Initial chemical characterization of the complexes was conducted by UV-Visible spectroscopy, while cyclic voltammetry showed more marked differences in electronic properties from bridged versions. Direct comparison studies of the unbridged and bridged compounds' kinetic stabilities, as demonstrated by decomposition using high acid concentration and elevated temperature, showed that the cyclen-based complex stability did not benefit from cross-bridging. This is likely due to poor complementarity with the Cu2+ ion while cyclam-based complexes benefited greatly. We conclude that ligand-metal complementarity must be maintained in order for the topological and rigidity constraints imparted by the cross-bridge to contribute significantly to complex robustness.

The Synthesis of a Bis(thiosemicarbazone) Macrocyclic Ligand and the Mn(II), Co(II), Zn(II) and 68Ga(III) Complexes

A 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (cyclen) variant bearing two thiosemicarbazone pendant groups has been prepared. The ligand forms complexes with Mn2+, Co2+ and Zn2+. X-ray crystallography of the Mn2+, Co2+ and Zn2+ complexes showed that the ligand provides a six-coordinate environment for the metal ions. The Mn2+ and Zn2+ complexes exist in the solid state as racemic mixtures of the Δ(δ,δ,δ,δ)/Λ(λ,λ,λ,λ) and Δ(λ,λ,λ,λ)/Λ(δ,δ,δ,δ) diastereomers, and the Co2+ complex exists as the Δ(δ,δ,δ,δ)/Λ(λ,λ,λ,λ) and Δ(λ,λ,λ,δ)/Λ(δ,δ,δ,λ) diastereomers. Density functional theory calculations indicated that the relative energies of the diastereomers are within 10 kJ mol-1. Magnetic susceptibility of the complexes indicated that both the Mn2+ and Co2+ ions are high spin. The ligand was radiolabelled with gallium-68, in the interest of developing new positron emission tomography imaging agents, which produced a single species in high radiochemical purity (>95%) at 90 °C for 10 min.

Cyclam-Based Chelators Bearing Phosphonated Pyridine Pendants for 64Cu-PET Imaging: Synthesis, Physicochemical Studies, Radiolabeling, and Bioimaging

Herein we present the preparation of two novel cyclam-based macrocycles (te1pyp and cb-te1pyp), bearing phosphonate-appended pyridine side arms for the coordination of copper(II) ions in the context of ⁶⁴Cu PET imaging. The two ligands have been prepared through conventional protection-alkylation sequences on cyclam, and their coordination properties have been thoroughly investigated. The corresponding copper complexes have been fully characterized in the solid state (X-ray diffraction analysis) and in solution (EPR and UV-vis spectroscopies). Potentiometric studies combined with spectrometry have also allowed us to determine their thermodynamic stability constants, confirming their high affinity for copper(II) cations. The kinetic inertness of the complexes has been verified by acid-assisted dissociation experiments, enabling their use in ⁶⁴Cu-PET imaging in mice for the first time. Indeed, the two ligands could be quantitatively radiolabeled under mild conditions, and the resulting ⁶⁴Cu complexes have demonstrated excellent stability in serum. PET imaging demonstrated a set of features emerging from the combination of picolinates and phosphonate units: high stability in vivo, fast clearance from the body via renal elimination, and most interestingly, very low fixation in the liver. This is in contrast with what was observed for monopicolinate cyclam (te1pa), which had a non-negligible accumulation in the liver, owing probably to its different charge and lipophilicity. These results thus pave the way for the use of such phosphonated pyridine chelators for in vivo ⁶⁴Cu-PET imaging.

Spin crossover Fe(ii) complexes of a cross-bridged cyclam derivative

A cross-bridged cyclam derivative containing two 2-pyridylmethyl pendant arms (L = 4,11-bis((pyridin-2-yl)methyl)-1,4,8,11-tetraaza-bicyclo[6.6.2]hexadecane) was synthesized by dialkylation of the cross-bridged cyclam with 2-chloromethylpyridine. A series of Fe(ii) complexes with L and different counter-anions of the formulas [Fe(L)][FeCl4]·H2O (1·H2O), [Fe(L)]Cl2·4H2O (2·4H2O), [Fe(L)](BF4)2·0.5CH3CN (3·0.5CH3CN) and [Fe(L)](BPh4)2·CH3OH (4·CH3OH) was prepared and thoroughly characterized. In all the cases, the [Fe(L)]2+ cation adopts a cis-V configuration with a distorted octahedral geometry, and with the FeN6 donor set. The magnetic measurements within the temperature interval of 5-400 K revealed the spin crossover (SCO) behaviour of all the complexes with the transition temperature T1/2 increasing with the counter anion in the order BF4- (3) < [FeCl4]2- (1) < BPh4- (4). However, the SCO process was complete in the case of compound 3 only, with T1/2 = 177 K, which proceeded after removal of co-crystallized CH3CN molecules accompanied by a change of the crystallographic phase. The SCO behaviour of 3 was also confirmed by a single crystal X-ray analysis providing the average Fe-N distances of 2.086 Å at 120 K and 2.197 Å at 293 K typical of low-spin, and high-spin FeII complexes, respectively. The obtained results clearly showed that the nature of the counter anion and the presence/absence of co-crystallized solvent molecule(s) significantly affected the temperature as well as the abruptness of the spin transition. This is the first report of SCO behaviour observed for iron complexes containing a cross-bridged cyclam derivative.

Synthesis and structural studies of two pyridine-armed reinforced cyclen chelators and their transition metal complexes

Two novel pyridine pendant-armed macrocycles structurally reinforced by an ethyl bridge, either between adjacent nitrogens (for side-bridged) or non-adjacent nitrogens (for cross-bridged), have been synthesized and complexed with a range of transition metal ions (Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺). X-ray crystal structures of selected cross-bridged complexes were obtained which showed the characteristic cis-V configuration with potential labile cis binding sites. The complexes have been characterized by their electronic spectra and magnetic moments, which show the expected high spin divalent metal complex in most cases. Exceptions are the nickel side-bridged complex, which shows a mixture of high-spin and low spin, and the cobalt cross-bridged complex which has oxidized to cobalt(III). Cyclic voltammetry in acetonitrile was carried out to assess the potential future use of these complexes in oxidation catalysis. Selected complexes offer significant catalytic potential enhanced by the addition of the pyridyl arm to a reinforced cyclen backbone.

Di-maltol-polyamine ligands to form heterotrinuclear metal complexes: solid state, aqueous solution and magnetic characterization

The binding properties of the two ligands (L) N,N'-bis[(3-hydroxy-4-pyron-2-yl)methyl]-N,N'-dimethylethylendiamine (Malten) and 4,10-bis[(3-hydroxy-4-pyron-2-yl)methyl]-1,7-dimethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (Maltonis) towards M(II) transition metal ions (M(II) = Cu(II) for Malten and Co(II) for Maltonis, respectively), were investigated in aqueous solution. Each compound contains two 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone units (Maltol) symmetrically spaced by a different polyamine fragment. The formation of only mononuclear complexes was detected and the main species present in a wide range of pH is the neutral [M(II)(H-2L)] complex. This is able to stabilize one hard M(III) metal ion such as Gd(III) and Y(III), giving rise to the formation of new hetero-trinuclear complexes of M(II)-M(III)-M(II) sequence. The trinuclear species having the formula {M(III)[M(II)(H-2L)]2}(3+) (M(II) = Cu(II) and M(III) = Y(III) or Gd(III) for Malten and M(II) = Co(II) and M(III) = Gd(III) for Maltonis) are also formed in a wide range of pH, including pH = 7 and can be isolated in high yield as a perchlorate salt. The crystal structures of all the studied hetero-trinuclear species highlight that such systems are formed thanks to the synergy between the different stereochemical requirement of the transition metal (Cu(II) or Co(II)) and the different donor atoms set of the ligands which preorganize the maltol units for the binding of the hard M(III) metal, otherwise difficult to bind in water, through L/M(II)/M(III) self-assembling. The magnetic properties of the hetero-trinuclear spin systems were investigated; in the M(II)-Gd(III)-M(II) species, Gd(III) interacts with the two 3d ions of this class of compounds by similar coupling mechanism.

Synthesis of an activated phosphonated bifunctional chelate with potential for PET imaging and radiotherapy

The synthesis of a phosphonated acyclic bifunctional chelate L* for the labeling of biomaterial is described. L* is based on a pyridine backbone, functionalized in ortho positions by aminomethyl-bis-methylphosphonic acids, and, in the para position, by a side chain containing a reactive NHS carbamate function. The stability of L* in aqueous solutions at different pH values was studied by mass spectrometry, showing the activated function to be sensitive to hydrolysis above neutral pH. The reactivity of L* towards amine functions was tested using ethylamine under different conditions of pH and concentrations, and by the labeling of two reference peptides containing both an N-terminal amino function and a ε-amino group of a lysine residue in the backbone, and a supplementary thiol group of a cysteine residue for one of these two peptides. The results showed the coupling to be efficient at pH 8.0, with a total selectivity for the terminal amine function with respect to lysine and cysteine. The labeling was further performed on B28-13, a mouse monoclonal antibody specifically recognizing tenascin-C protein in human cancer. The labeled antibody was characterized by means of mass spectrometry and spectrofluorimetry, unraveling a labeling ratio of one chelate per antibody. Finally, the affinity of the labeled antibody towards its target was controlled by immunofluorescence staining experiments on human colon cancer biopsies, confirming the affinity of the labeled peptide for tenascin-C.

4,10-Bis(pyridin-2-ylmeth-yl)-1,7-dithia-4,10-diazo-niacyclo-dodecane bis(perchlorate)

The asymmetric unit of the title compound C(20)H(30)N(4)S(2) (+). 2ClO(4) (-) comprises one macrocyclic cation and two perchlorate anions. In the cation, one of the protonated H atoms bound to the amide N atom is involved in an intra-molecular N-H⋯N hydrogen bond. The O atoms in the two perchlorate anions are disordered over two sets of sites with occupancy ratios of 0.65 (3):0.35 (3) and 0.640 (15):0.360 (15).