The compound 1-(2-hydroxycyclohexyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane
(L
1
) and its complex
[CuL
1
][ClO
4
]
2
1 have been
prepared, as well as the complex
[SrL
2
(H
2
O)][NO
3
]
2
2
from the previously reported ligand L
2
(L
2
=
D,
L
-7,16-bis(2-hydroxycyclohexyl)-1,4,10,13-tetraoxa-7,16-diazacyclooctade
cane). X-Ray studies of
1 and
2 gave for
1,
triclinic, space group P
![[1 with combining macron]](https://www.rsc.org/images/entities/char_0031_0304.gif)
,
a = 8.632(1),
b = 14.677(2),
c = 17.797(4) Å,
α = 86.80(2), β = 78.71(2),
γ = 83.32(1)°, Z = 4,
R = 0.0606, while
2 gave monoclinic,
space group Cc, a = 16.809(6),
b = 8.889(2),
c = 21.232(6) Å,
β = 101.47(2)°, Z = 4,
R = 0.0314. The structure of
1 showed
Cu–N and Cu–O bond lengths which were in the normal range.
The structure shows some steric crowding of the co-ordinated ligand,
with short H · · · H contacts
between hydrogens on the cyclohexyl group and adjacent hydrogens on the
macrocyclic ring. This acts to press the 2-hydroxycyclohexyl group
towards the macrocyclic ring, and to have a compressive effect on the
metal ion. The occurrence of
2 in space group Cc
indicates spontaneous resolution of the complex into crystals with
(R,R) or with (S,S) diastereomers of
the ligand only. The Sr
II
is nine-co-ordinate, with a water
molecule occupying a co-ordination site. An extensive hydrogen-bonding
network involving hydrogens from the co-ordinated water on
Sr
II
and nitrate oxygens, and hydrogens from the co-ordinated
hydroxyls of the 2-hydroxycyclohexyl groups and nitrate oxygens, appears
to be responsible for the spontaneous resolution. Ligands where ethylene
bridges between donor atoms have been replaced by cyclohexanediyl
bridges tend to show greater selectivity for smaller metal ions. This
has been interpreted in terms of greater steric crowding on the outside
of the ligand as the metal ion increases in size and decreases the
curvature of the ligand. The structure of
2 shows six rather
short H · · · H distances
(2.05–2.2 Å) between hydrogens on the cyclohexyl
group, and on the macrocyclic ring, which are much shorter than similar
contacts in complex
1, supporting this suggestion. The
protonation constants (log K) of L
1
are 10.65, 9.51
and 4.03, while the formation constants (log K
1
) are
13.85 (Zn
II
), 14.58 (Cd
II
) and 11.40
(Pb
II
), all in 0.1 mol dm
-3
NaNO
3
at 25 °C. The effect of the 2-hydroxycyclohexenyl bridge on
the stability of complexes is discussed.