Oxidation and reduction of copper(II) complexes with saturated poly-aza macrocycles of varying size and denticity

Abstract

The oxidation and reduction behaviour in acetonitrile solution of copper(II) complexes with a complete series of quadri- and quinque-dentate amine macrocycles has been studied by electrochemical techniques. Both anodic and cathodic electrode processes are found to involve complicated mechanisms. However, the redox changes Cu^III→Cu^II and Cu^II→Cu^I have been demonstrated through cyclic voltammetry at high potential scan rate. The E_½ values for the above processes are discussed in terms of the properties and structural features of the macrocyclic ligands.