New dinuclear copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes for the investigation of sugar-metal ion interactions

We have studied the binding interactions of biologically important carbohydrates (D-glucose, D-xylose and D-mannose) with the newly synthesized five-coordinate dinuclear copper(II) complex, [Cu(2)(hpnbpda)(μ-OAc)] (1) and zinc(II) complex, [Zn(2)(hpnbpda)(μ-OAc)] (2) [H(3)hpnbpda=N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-2-hydroxy-1,3-propanediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid] in aqueous alkaline solution. The complexes 1 and 2 are fully characterized both in solid and solution using different analytical techniques. A geometrical optimization was made of the ligand H(3)hpnbpda and the complexes 1 and 2 by molecular mechanics (MM+) method in order to establish the stable conformations. All carbohydrates bind to the metal complexes in a 1:1 molar ratio. The binding events have been investigated by a combined approach of FTIR, UV-vis and (13)C NMR spectroscopic techniques. UV-vis spectra indicate a significant blue shift of the absorption maximum of complex 1 during carbohydrate coordination highlighting the sugar binding ability of complex 1. The apparent binding constants of the substrate-bound copper(II) complexes have been determined from the UV-vis titration experiments. The binding ability and mode of binding of these sugar substrates with complex 2 are indicated by their characteristic coordination induced shift (CIS) values in (13)C NMR spectra for carbon atoms C1, C2, and C3 of sugar substrates.