Nickel(II) in chelate N2O2 environment. DFT approach and in-depth molecular orbital and configurational analysis.

The O-N-N-O-type tetradentate ligands H2S,S-eddp (H2S,S-eddp stands for S,S-ethylenediamine-N,N'-di-2-propionic acid) and H2edap (H2edap stands for ethylenediamine-N-acetic-N'-3-propionic acid) and the corresponding novel octahedral nickel(II) complexes have been prepared and characterized. N2O2 ligands coordinate to the nickel(II) ion via four donor atoms (two deprotonated carboxylate atoms and two amine nitrogens) affording octahedral geometry in the case of all investigated Ni(II) complexes. A six coordinate, octahedral geometry has been verified crystallographically for the s-cis-[Ni(S,S-eddp)(H2O)2] complex. Structural data correlating similarly chelated Ni(II) complexes have been used to carry out an extensive configuration analysis. Molecular mechanics and Density Functional Theory (DFT) have been used to model the most stable geometric isomer, yielding, at the same time, significant structural and spectroscopic (TDDFT) data. The results from density functional studies have been compared to X-ray data. Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) and Natural Energetic Decomposition Analysis (NEDA) have been done for the [Ni(edda-type)(H2O)(2-n)] and nH2O fragments. Molecular orbital analysis (MPA) is given as well. The infra-red and electronic absorption spectra of the complexes are discussed in comparison to the related complexes of known geometries.

Synthetic, crystallographic, and computational study of copper(II) complexes of ethylenediaminetetracarboxylate ligands.

Copper(II) complexes of hexadentate ethylenediaminetetracarboxylic acid type ligands H(4)eda3p and H(4)eddadp (H(4)eda3p = ethylenediamine-N-acetic-N,N',N'-tri-3-propionic acid; H(4)eddadp = ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic-N,N'-di-3-propionic acid) have been prepared. An octahedral trans(O(6)) geometry (two propionate ligands coordinated in axial positions) has been established crystallographically for the Ba[Cu(eda3p)]·8H(2)O compound, while Ba[Cu(eddadp)]·8H(2)O is proposed to adopt a trans(O(5)) geometry (two axial acetates) on the basis of density functional theory calculations and comparisons of IR and UV-vis spectral data. Experimental and computed structural data correlating similar copper(II) chelate complexes have been used to better understand the isomerism and departure from regular octahedral geometry within the series. The in-plane O-Cu-N chelate angles show the smallest deviation from the ideal octahedral value of 90°, and hence the lowest strain, for the eddadp complex with two equatorial ß-propionate rings. A linear dependence between tetragonality and the number of five-membered rings has been established. A natural bonding orbital analysis of the series of complexes is also presented.