Abstract:
In this work, various aspects of the coordination chemistry and photophysics of cryptate complexes of tris(2,2’-bipyridyl)-based cryptands with varying numbers of N-oxides were investigated.
The influence of the number of N-oxides on the luminescence properties of lanthanoid cryptates was studied in great detail. The phenomenon of luminescence acceleration by the addition of N-oxides, which had been previously reported for Yb3+ and is realized by a decrease in radiative lifetime trad, was observed and quantified for Nd3+ and Eu3+.
During these investigations, an extraordinarily stable calcium cryptate was discovered by chance which had formed unintendedly during the syntheses from a Ca2+ contamination. Systematic investigations were conducted regarding the origin of the Ca2+ ions, the conditions under which the complex is formed, and the stability of the complex against other complex forming agents with high affinity for Ca2+. It was demonstrated that the respective sodium cryptate washes out considerable amounts of sodium and calcium salts of the stationary phase (silica) during the column chromatography step which subsequently react with the sodium cryptate to form the calcium complex. Upon simultaneous, controlled reaction of the sodium cryptate with Ln3+ and Ca2+ ions, calcium complexation is heavily favored, and the calcium complex shows no sign of metal exchange with Ln3+ ions once it is formed. The calcium cryptate withstands high excesses of DOTA4−, the best known complexing agent for Ca2+, at 100 °C for several days without showing any sign of calcium liberation from the cryptate.
Furthermore, another exceptionally stable complex of a metal usually featuring fast ligand exchange dynamics, was investigated. The complex Na+[bpyO2.bpyO2.bpyO2] features only fully N-oxidized 2,2’-bipyridine moieties which leads to an extraordinary rigidity of the ligand scaffold and an extremely well-shielded cavity. The sodium complex shows an unusual protonation at the bridgehead nitrogen with the proton presumably located towards the inside of the cavity. Neither upon protonation of the complex nor upon challenge with a spherand, a Na+ complexing agent, any sign of sodium liberation from the cryptate can be observed. Under extremely acidic conditions, a second protonation of the cryptand can be realised, presumably with concomitant release of the Na+ ion.