Equilibrium investigation of complex formation reactions involving copper(II), nitrilo-tris(methyl phosphonic acid) and amino acids, peptides or DNA constitutents. The kinetics, mechanism and correlation of rates with complex stability for metal ion promoted hydrolysis of glycine methyl ester

The complex formation reactions of [Cu(NTP)(OH2)]4− (NTP = nitrilo-tris(methyl phosphonic acid)) with some selected bio-relevant ligands containing different functional groups, are investigated. Stoichiometry and stability constants for the complexes formed are reported. The results show that the ternary complexes are formed in a stepwise mechanism whereby NTP binds to copper(II), followed by coordination of amino acid, peptide or DNA. Copper(II) is found to form Cu(NTP)H n species with n = 0, 1, 2 or 3. The concentration distribution of the various complex species has been evaluated. The kinetics of base hydrolysis of glycine methyl ester in the presence of copper(II)-NTP complex is studied in aqueous solution at different temperatures. It is proposed that the catalysis of GlyOMe ester occurs by attack of OH− ion on the uncoordinated carbonyl carbon atom of the ester group. Activation parameters for the base hydrolysis of the complex [Cu(NTP)NH2CH2CO2Me]4− are, ΔH± = 9.5 ± 0.3 kJ mol−1 and ΔS± = −179.3 ± 0.9 J K−1 mol−1. These show that catalysis is due to a substantial lowering of ΔH±.