Copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes of N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)octamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane

Reaction of ethylene oxide with the 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecanes Me-8[14]ane L-B (diaxial-diequatorial with respect to the methyl substituents at the secondary ring carbons) and L-C (axial-triequatorial) yielded the N4,N11-disubstituted 2-hydroxyethyl (Y) derivatives L-BY (didxial-di-equatorial) and L-AY (all-equatorial). These new ligands interact with Cu(ClO4)(2) to produce octahedral blue-violet [CuLBY][ClO4](2) and deep-blue [CuLAy][ClO4](2), with the hydroxyl groups of the -CH2-CH2-OH arms in axial positions. Reaction of LBY with nickel(II) acetate and subsequent addition of Li(ClO4) yielded square-planar yellow [NiLBY][ClO4](2). Characterisation has been carried out on the basis of analytical, spectroscopic, conductometric and magneto-chemical data. The structures of L-BY and [CuLAy][ClO4](2) have been confirmed by X-ray diffraction analyses. The antifungal and antibacterial activities of these compounds have been studied against some phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria. ((C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004)