Collection of Czechoslovak Chemical Communications - digital archive 

Abstract

Ethylenediphosphinetetraacetic acid is bonded to metal ions in aqueous solutions in four ways, depending on the type of metal ion: 1) through an ionic bond of the carboxylic groups to form weak complexes with a metal:ligand ratio of 1 : 1 (Ca(II), Mn(II), Zn(II), Pb(II), La(III)); 2) through type 1) bond with contributions from weak interaction with the phosphorus (Cd(II)); 3) through coordination of the ligand as a monodentate P-donor with the free carboxyl groups with formation of 2 : 1 and 1 : 1 complexes (Cu(I), Ag(I)); 4) through formation of square planar or, for Hg(II), tetrahedral complexes with a ratio of 1 : 2 with the ligand as a bidentate PP-donor with the free carboxyl groups (Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Pd(II), Pt(II)). On acidification of the complex solution, the first two protons are bonded to the carboxyl groups. The behaviour during further protonation depends on the type of complex: in complexes of types 1) and 2) phosphorus is protonated and the complex dissociates; in complexes of types 3) and 4) the free carboxyl groups are protonated and the phosphorus-metal bond remains intact. The results are based on correlation of the stability constants, UV-visible, infrared, ¹H and ³¹P NMR spectra and magnetic susceptibilities of the complexes in aqueous solution.