Kinetic Studies of the Coordination of Mono- and Ditopic Ligands with First Row Transition Metal Ions.

The reactions of the ditopic ligand 1,4-bis(2,2':6',2″-terpyridin-4'-yl)benzene (1) as well as the monotopic ligands 4'-phenyl-2,2':6',2″-terpyridine (2) and 2,2':6',2″-terpyridine (3) with Fe(2+), Co(2+), and Ni(2+) in solution are studied. While the reaction of 1 with Fe(2+), Co(2+), and Ni(2+) results in metallo-supramolecular coordination polyelectrolytes (MEPEs), ligands 2 and 3 give mononuclear complexes. All compounds are analyzed by UV/vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Fluorescence spectroscopy indicates that protonation as well as coordination to Zn(2+) leads to an enhanced fluorescence of the terpyridine ligands. In contrast, Fe(2+), Co(2+), or Ni(2+) quench the fluorescence of the ligands. The kinetics of the reactions are studied by stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopy. Analysis of the measured data is presented and the full kinetic rate laws for the coordination of the terpyridine ligands 1, 2, and 3 to Fe(2+), Co(2+), and Ni(2+) are presented. The coordination occurs within a few seconds, and the rate constant increases in the order Ni(2+) < Co(2+) < Fe(2+). With the rate constants at hand, the polymer growth of Ni-MEPE is computed.