Conformations and coordination schemes of carboxylate and carbamoyl derivatives of the tetraazamacrocycles cyclen and cyclam, and the relation to their protonation states

Abstract This paper discusses and rationalizes the metal coordination pattern of 12- and 14-membered tetraazamacrocyclic carboxylate and carbamoyl ligands based on the cyclen and cyclam framework in light of their acido–basic properties. Structural and protonation data are reviewed in order to illustrate the influence of the free ligand's protonation state and of the pH conditions during the complexation reaction on the final coordination mode of the metallic cations.