Explaining How α-Hydroxamate Ligands Control the Formation of Cu(II)-, Ni(II)-, and Zn(II)-Containing Metallacrowns.

Four different crystal structures for quinolinehydroxamic acid (QuinHA) and picolinehydroxamic acid (PicHA) MCs with Cu(II) and Ni(II), and solution studies on the formation of Cu(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) MC complexes with QuinHA, PicHA, and pyrazylohydroxamic acid (PyzHA) are described. In polynuclear complex 1, [Cu5(QuinHA-2H)4(NO3)(DMSO)4](NO3), the metallamacrocyclic cavity is formed by four Cu(II) ions and four doubly deprotonated hydroximate ligands, and the center of the cavity is occupied by the fifth Cu(II) ion coordinated by four hydroximate oxygen atoms. The complex 2, [Cu10(PicHA-2H)8(H2O)4(ClO4)3](ClO4)·4H2O, exhibits a dimeric structure based on two pentanuclear collapsed 12-MC-4 Cu4(PicHA-2H)4 fragments united by two chiral capping Cu(II) ions exo-coordinated to the peripheral vacant (O,O') chelating units of each tetranuclear collapsed MC moiety. 3, [CaNi5(QuinHA-2H)5(H2O)2(Py)10](NO3)2, and 4, [CaNi5(PicHA-2H)5(DMF)2(Py)8](NO3)2, are planar 15-membered rings consisting of a PicHA or QuinHA ligand, respectively. To understand fully the correlation between species isolated in the solid state and those presented in solution, the solution equilibria were investigated, showing the dependence of the MCs topologies and stability constants (log β) on the ligand structure and metal ion.