Some metal-ion complexes with ligands formed by reaction of amines with aliphatic carbonyl compounds. Part I. Nickel( II ) and copper( II ) complexes formed by the diaminoethane–acetone reaction

Reaction of acetone with bis(diaminoethane)nickel(II) yields the bis-complex of the β-amino-ketone NH2CH2CH2NHC(CH3)2CH2COCH3, which acts as tridentate ligand. With bis(diaminoethane)copper(II), the complex of the linear pentadentate ligand NH2CH2CH2NHC(CH3)2CH2C(CH3):NCH2CH2NHC(CH3)2CH2COCH3 is formed. Observations on the reaction between the tris(diaminoethane) complexes and acetone, which yield isomeric macrocyclic complexes, and on the reaction between diaminoethane and acetone are reported.