Hydrophobic effects in the stabilisation of copper(I) by the macrocyclic ligands 16,17,19,20-tetramethyl-2,6,9,13-tetraaza[14]paracyclophane and 14,15,17,18-tetramethyl-2,5,8,11-tetraaza[12]paracyclophane

Abstract The interaction of Cu 2+ with the para -azacychlophanes 16,17,19,20-tetramethyl-2,6,9,13-tetraazal[14]paracyclophane (L1) and 14,15,17,18-tetramethyl-2,5,8,11-tetraaza[12]paracyclophane (L2) has been studied by potentiometry, and direct microcalorimetry at 298.1±0.1 K in 0.15 mol dm −3 NaClO 4 . The stability constants (log K CuLi = 13.35(3), log K CuL2 = 9.32(4)) and the thermodynamic parameters ( ΔH ° CuL1 = −47.3(8) kJ mol −1 , ΔH ° CuL2 = 20.9(8) kJ mol −1 ) evidence that not all four nitrogen atoms in the ligands are involved in the coordination to the metal centre. These results, particulary in the case of L1, are similar to those reported for the analogous cyclophanes contai…