Bis(ZnII–cyclen) Complex as a Novel Receptor of Barbiturates in Aqueous Solution

A new bis-zinc(II) receptor (Zn2L), which has two macrocyclic 12-membered tetraamine (cyclen) ZnII complexes connected through a p-xylene bridge, has been synthesized as a novel host molecule to recognize barbiturates (such as barbital (bar)) in aqueous solution. Each of the zinc(II) ions in the biszinc(II) receptor was originally intended to match the dianionic barbital anion (bar2−) with supplementary hydrogen bonds between the cyclen NH's and the three carbonyl oxygens in complementary positions to yield a 1:1 complex, Zn2L–bar2−. From an aqueous solution of equimolar Zn2L and barbital at pH 8, however, a cyclic 2:2 complex, (Zn2L-bar2−)2, was isolated and characterized by X-ray crystal analysis. The NMR study in 10% (v/v) D2O/H2O has revealed dissociation of (Zn2L–bar2−)2 solely into the original target 1:1 complex Zn2L–bar2− and established the dimerization constant for 2Zn2L–bar2− → (Zn2L–bar2−)2, Kd ( = [(Zn2L–bar2−)2]/[Zn2L–bar2−]2) to be 103.4 M−1. The thermodynamic parameters were evaluated from the NMR measurements at 25, 35, 45, and 55°C: ΔG = –1.9 × 104 J mol−1, ΔH = – 3.3 × 104 J mol−1, ΔS = – 49 J mol−1 K−1 at 25°C. Potentiometric pH titration of Zn2L (1 mM) and barbital (1 mM) disclosed extremely facile deprotonation of the two imido groups of barbital at pH less than 7 to form the dianionic barbital-bound ZnII complexes Zn2L–bar2− and (Zn2L–bar2−)2, where-by the barbital binding affinity for Zn2L was estimated to be Kbar ( = [Zn2L–bar2−]/[uncomplexed Zn2L][uncomplexed barbital]) = 105.8 M−1 at pH 8 and 25°C with I = 0.10 (NaNO3). The significance of the bis-zinc(II) receptor in stabilizing the dianionic barbital is evident by comparison with the interaction of ZnII–cyclen complex (ZnL) with barbital, which yields only a 1:1 monoanionic barbital complex, ZnL–bar− (Kbar = [ZnL–bar−]/[uncomplexed ZnL][uncomplexed barbital] = 104.2M−1 at pH 8 and 25°C with I = 0.10 (NaNO3)).