Dinuclear zinc(II) complex of a new acyclic phenol-based dinucleating ligand with four methoxyethyl chelating arms: first dizinc model with aminopeptidase function

Abstract

A new end-off type acyclic ligand with four methoxyethyl chelating arms, 2,6-bis[bis(2-methoxyethyl)aminomethyl]-4-methylphenol (Hbomp), formed a dinuclear zinc(II) complex [Zn₂(bomp)(MeCO₂)₂]BPh₄ 1. X-Ray analysis revealed that the complex 1·CHCl₃ contains two zinc ions bridged by the phenolic oxygen and two acetate groups, forming a µ-phenoxo-bis(µ-acetato)dizinc(II) core. The aminopeptidase function of complex 1 was estimated using N-p-nitrophenyl-L-leucine as substrate. The release of p-nitroaniline as the result of the substrate hydrolysis is first order in both complex and substrate concentrations with k = 2.3(1) × 10^–3 dm³ mol^–1 s^–1.