Methylation as an effective way to generate SOD-activity in copper complexes of scorpiand-like azamacrocyclic receptors

摘要

Graphical abstractMethylation of the secondary amine groups of an aza scorpiand-type ligand with the pendant arm further functionalised with a 3-pyridine unit leads to a ligand whose Cu(II) complex exhibits three-fold enhanced SOD activity with respect to the non-methylated ligand.Display OmittedHighlights?AN-methylated aza-scorpiand like ligand has been prepared in good yield.?The [CuL1]2+complex of the non-methylated ligand is three orders of magnitude less stable.?Methylation causes a deceleration of both the complex formation and the acid-induced dissociation.?SOD activity is enhanced threefold in the complex of the methylated ligand.