Structural and Spectroscopic Characterization of Two New Cu(II)-Dipeptide Complexes

Abstract

Two new Cu(II) complexes of stoichiometry [Cu(L-dipept)], containing as ligands the dipeptides L-alanine-L-valine and L-alanine-L-phenylalanine were prepared. They were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffractometry, and infrared and electronic spectroscopy. Both crystallize in the orthorhombic space group P2 1 2 1 2 1 with Z = 4. The Cu(II) ion has essentially the same elongated pyramidal coordination, being equatorially cis coordinated by a N 2 O 2 arrangement of ligand atoms and axially by a carbonyl oxygen atom. The compounds show rather similar polymeric structures that differ from each other basically in the dihedral angle between adjacent N 2 O 2 planes. The infrared and electronic spectra are briefly discussed on the basis of the structural characteristics of the complexes. Superoxide dismutase-like activity was tested for both compounds.