Interaction of copper(II) with the fungal metabolite, citrinin

Copper(II) reacts with citrinin to form 1:1 and 1:2 chelates. The formation constants of these copper(II) chelates have been determined in the solvent 50% (v/v) dioxane-water. Citrinin in the solid state is a p-quinone methide. It may exist as an equilibrium mixture of the p-quinone and o-quinone methides in solution. The experimental evidence indicates that upon chelate formation it exists predominantly in the o-quinone form.