On the nature and mechanism of decomposition of monovalent copper complexes with tetra-aza macrocyclic ligands in aqueous solutions. A pulse radiolytic study

Some properties of four monovalent copper complexes with tetra-azamacrocyclic ligands (L) are reported. For all four complexes the same sequence of rearrangement and ligand loss (five reactions) is observed. The rates of rearrangement and ligand loss increase with increasing size of the macrocycle and by using 1,4,8,11-tetra-azacyclotetradecane in place of 5,7,7,12,14,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetra-azacyclotetradecane. The introduction of two non-conjugated double bonds has little effect on the rates of reaction but affects considerably the spectra of the [CuL]⁺ complexes.