Monitoring proton dissociation and solution conformation of chiral ytterbium complexes with near-IR CD.

The ytterbium complex Yb((S)-THP) ((S)-THP = (1S,4S,7S,10S-tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane) is investigated in solution through NMR, near-IR absorption, and CD spectroscopy. Quantitative analysis of the paramagnetic pseudocontact NMR shift shows Lambda helicity of the ligand cage around the metal. The NIR CD spectrum recorded at acidic pH is found to be very similar to that of Yb((R)-DOTMA) ((R)-DOTMA = (1R,4R,7R,10R)-alpha,alpha',alpha'',alpha'''-tetramethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid), which in solution assumes a twisted square antiprism (TSA) conformation. The similarity of the NIR CD spectra is discussed, and it is the first proof of the Lambda(lambda,lambda,lambda,lambda) conformation of Yb((S)-THP). NIR CD spectra recorded in the pH range of 2-9 allow one to easily follow proton dissociation and to calculate the pK of this equilibrium in water (pK(A) = 6.4 +/- 0.1). This value agrees well with that determined for Lu((S)-THP) using potentiometric methods. This demonstrates once again that NIR CD spectroscopy is a powerful technique for investigating the solution structure and dynamics of these complexes.