Complexation of Mn(II) by Rigid Pyclen Diacetates: Equilibrium, Kinetic, Relaxometric, Density Functional Theory, and Superoxide Dismutase Activity Studies.

We report the Mn(II) complexes with two pyclen-based ligands (pyclen = 3,6,9,15-tetraazabicyclo[9.3.1]pentadeca-1(15),11,13-triene) functionalized with acetate pendant arms at either positions 3,6 ( 3,6-PC2A ) or 3,9 ( 3,9-PC2A ) of the macrocyclic fragment. The 3,6-PC2A ligand was synthesized in five steps from pyclen oxalate by protecting one of the secondary amine groups of pyclen using Alloc protecting chemistry. The complex with 3,9-PC2A is characterized by a higher thermodynamic stability [log K _MnL = 17.09(2)] than the 3,6-PC2A analogue [log K _MnL = 15.53(1); 0.15 M NaCl]. Both complexes contain a water molecule coordinated to the metal ion, which results in relatively high ¹ H relaxivities ( r _1p = 2.72 and 2.91 mM ^-1 s ^-1 for the complexes with 3,6-PC2A and 3,9-PC2A , respectively, at 25 °C and 0.49 T). The coordinated water molecule displays fast exchange kinetics with the bulk in both cases; the rates ( k _ex ²⁹⁸ ) are 140 × 10 ⁶ and 126 × 10 ⁶ s ^-1 for [Mn( 3,6-PC2A )(H ₂ O)] and [Mn( 3,9-PC2A )(H ₂ O)], respectively. The two complexes were found to be remarkably inert with respect to their dissociation, with half-lives of 63 and 21 h, respectively, at pH = 7.4 in the presence of excess Cu(II). The r _1p values recorded in blood serum remain constant at least over a period of 120 h. Cyclic voltammetry experiments show irreversible oxidation features shifted to higher potentials with respect to [Mn(EDTA)(H ₂ O)] ^2- (H ₄ EDTA = ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) and [Mn(PhDTA)(H ₂ O)] ^2- (H ₄ PhDTA = phenylenediamine- N , N , N ', N '-tetraacetic acid), indicating that the PC2A complexes reported here have a lower tendency to stabilize Mn(III). The superoxide dismutase activity of the Mn(II) complexes was tested using the xanthine/xanthine oxidase/ p -nitro blue tetrazolium chloride assay at pH = 7.8. The Mn(II) complexes of 3,6-PC2A and 3,9-PC2A are capable of assisting decomposition of the superoxide anion radical. The kinetic rate constant of the complex of 3,9-PC2A is smaller by 1 order of magnitude than that of 3,6-PC2A .