Remarkable inertness of copper(II) chelates of cyclen-based macrobicycles with two trans-N-acetate arms.

Two cross-bridged cyclen-based macrocycles with two trans-N-acetic acid arms, one having a dibenzofuran (DBF) moiety as the bridge, H2L1, and the other a diphenyl ether (DPE) one, H2L2, were synthesized. Both compounds behave as “proton sponges.” The thermodynamic stability constants for the Cu2+, Zn2+, Al3+, and Ga3+ complexes of both compounds were determined. They exhibit an excellent thermodynamic selectivity for copper(II), ensuring that metal ions largely present in the human body do not interfere with the copper(II) chelates. All complexes are very slow to form, and [CuL2] and [CuL1] are extremely inert to demetallate, especially [CuL2]. The acid-assisted dissociation of [CuL1] led to a half-life of 4.28 h in 5 M HCl at 363.2 K, while [CuL2] needed harsher conditions of 12 M HCl at 363.2 K with a half-life of 30.8 days. To the best of our knowledge, [CuL2] exhibits the highest half-life value for a copper(II) complex of a polyazamacrocycle derivative reported in the literature until now. Single cry...