The metal ion complexing properties of the ligand DPP (2,9-di-(pyrid-2-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline) were studied by crystallography, fluorimetry, and UV-visible spectroscopy. Because DPP forms five-membered chelate rings, it will favor complexation with metal ions of an ionic radius close to 1.0 A. Metal ion complexation and accompanying selectivity of DPP is enhanced by the rigidity of the aromatic backbone of the ligand. Cd2+, with an ionic radius of 0.96 A, exhibits a strong CHEF (chelation enhanced fluorescence) effect with 10(-8) M DPP, and Cd2+ concentrations down to 10(-9) M can be detected. Other metal ions that cause a significant CHEF effect with DPP are Ca2+ (10(-3) M) and Na+ (1.0 M), whereas metal ions such as Zn2+, Pb2+, and Hg2+ cause no CHEF effect with DPP. The lack of a CHEF effect for Zn2+ relates to the inability of this small ion to contact all four donor atoms of DPP. The structures of [Cd(DPP)2](ClO4)2 (1), [Pb(DPP)(ClO4)2H2O] (2), and [Hg(DPP)(ClO4)2] (3) are reported. The Cd(II) in 1 is 8-coordinate with the Cd-N bonds to the outer pyridyl groups stretched by steric clashes between the o-hydrogens on these outer pyridyl groups and the central aromatic ring of the second DPP ligand. The 8-coordinate Pb(II) in 2 has two short Pb-N bonds to the two central nitrogens of DPP, with longer bonds to the outer N-donors. The coordination sphere around the Pb(II) is completed by a coordinated water molecule, and two coordinated ClO4(-) ions, with long Pb-O bonds to ClO4(-) oxygens, typical of a sterically active lone pair on Pb(II). The Hg(II) in 3 shows an 8-coordinate structure with the Hg(II) forming short Hg-N bonds to the outer pyridyl groups of DPP, whereas the other Hg-N and Hg-O bonds are rather long. The structures are discussed in terms of the fit of large metal ions to DPP with minimal steric strain. The UV-visible studies of the equilibria involving DPP and metal ions gave formation constants that show that DPP has a higher affinity for metal ions with an ionic radius close to 1.0 A, particularly Cd(II), Gd(III), and Bi(III), and low affinity for small metal ions such as Ni(II) and Zn(II). The complexes of several metal ions, such as Cd(II), Gd(III), and Pb(II), showed an equilibrium involving deprotonation of the complex at remarkably low pH values, which was attributed to deprotonation of coordinated water molecules according to: [M(DPP)(H2O)]n+ <==> [M(DPP)(OH)](n-1)+ + H+. The tendency to deprotonation of these DPP complexes at low pH is discussed in terms of the large hydrophobic surface of the coordinated DPP ligand destabilizing the hydration of coordinated water molecules and the build-up of charge on the metal ion in its DPP complex because of the inability of the coordinated DPP ligand to hydrogen bond with the solvent.

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Some metal ion complexing properties of DPP (2,9-Di(pyrid-2-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline) are reported with a variety of Ln(III) (Lanthanide(III)) ions and alkali earth metal ions, as well as the uranyl(VI) cation. The intense π-π* transitions in the absorption spectra of aqueous solutions of 10(-5) M DPP were monitored as a function of pH and metal ion concentration to determine formation constants of the alkali-earth metal ions and Ln(III) (Ln = lanthanide) ions. It was found that log K(1)(DPP) for the Ln(III) ions has a peak at Ln(III) = Sm(III) in a plot of log K(1) versus 1/r(+) (r(+) = ionic radius for 8-coordination). For Ln(III) ions larger than Sm(III), there is a steady rise in log K(1) from La(III) to Sm(III), while for Ln(III) ions smaller than Sm(III), log K(1) decreases slightly to the smallest Ln(III) ion, Lu(III). This pattern of variation of log K(1) with varying size of Ln(III) ion was analyzed using MM (molecular mechanics) and DFT (density functional theory) calculations. Values of strain energy (∑U) were calculated for the [Ln(DPP)(H(2)O)(5)](3+) and [Ln(qpy)(H(2)O)(5)](3+) (qpy = quaterpyrdine) complexes of all the Ln(III) ions. The ideal M-N bond lengths used for the Ln(III) ions were the average of those found in the CSD (Cambridge Structural Database) for the complexes of each of the Ln(III) ions with polypyridyl ligands. Similarly, the ideal M-O bond lengths were those for complexes of the Ln(III) ions with coordinated aqua ligands in the CSD. The MM calculations suggested that in a plot of ∑U versus ideal M-N length, a minimum in ∑U occurred at Pm(III), adjacent in the series to Sm(III). The significance of this result is that (1) MM calculations suggest that a similar metal ion size preference will occur for all polypyridyl-type ligands, including those containing triazine groups, that are being developed as solvent extractants in the separation of Am(III) and Ln(III) ions in the treatment of nuclear waste, and (2) Am(III) is very close in M-N bond lengths to Pm(III), so that an important aspect of the selectivity of polypyridyl type ligands for Am(III) will depend on the above metal ion size-based selectivity. The selectivity patterns of DPP with the alkali-earth metal ions shows a similar preference for Ca(II), which has the most appropriate M-N lengths. The structures of DPP complexes of Zn(II) and Bi(III), as representative of a small and of a large metal ion respectively, are reported. [Zn(DPP)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (triclinic, P1, R = 0.0507) has a six-coordinate Zn(II), with each of the two DPP ligands having one noncoordinated pyridyl group appearing to be π-stacked on the central aromatic ring of the other DPP ligand. [Bi(DPP)(H(2)O)(2)(ClO(4))(2)](ClO(4)) (triclinic, P1, R = 0.0709) has an eight-coordinate Bi, with the coordination sphere composed of the four N donors of the DPP ligand, two coordinated water molecules, and the O donors of two unidentate perchlorates. As is usually the case with Bi(III), there is a gap in the coordination sphere that appears to be the position of a lone p...