PNNL

Abstract

This report describes an investigation into the coordination chemistry of trivalentlanthanides in solution and the solid state with acyclic and preorganized bicyclic malonamide ligands. Two experimental investigations were performed: solution bindingaffinities were determined through single-phase spectrophotometric titrations and the extent of conformational change upon binding was investigated with single-crystal X-raycrystallography. Both experimental methods compare the bicyclic malonamide (BMA), which is designed to be preorganized for binding trivalent lanthanides, to an analogousacyclic malonamide. Results from the spectrophotometric titrations indicate that BMA exhibits a 10-100 times increase in binding affinity to Ln(III) over acyclic malonamide.In addition, BMA forms compounds with high ligand-metal ratios, even when competing with water and nitrate ligands for binding sites. The crystal structures exhibit nosignificant differences in the nature of the binding between Ln(III) and the BMA or acyclic malonamide. These results support the conclusion that rational ligand design canlead to compounds that enhance the binding affinities within a ligand class.