Potentiometric studies of ternary complex formationCu(II), Ni, Zn or Cd iminodiacetic acid/amino-acid complexes

The formation constants, log K(mab), for the reactions MA + B right harpoon over left harpoon MAB [where M = Cu(II), Ni, Zn or Cd, A = terdentate ligand and B = bidentate or terdentate ligand] have been determined. Potentiometric evidence is presented for the stepwise addition of the secondary ligand B to the 1:1 metal iminodiacetate (MA). The formation constants and the free energies of formation (DeltaG) have been calculated at 25 +/- 1 degrees and mu = 0.10. The order in terms of secondary ligands has been found to be ASPA > Gly > Aln and Gly > Aln > ASPA with iminodiacetic and nitrilotriacetic acid as primary ligands respectively (ASPA = aspartic acid, Gly = glycine, Aln = dl-alanine). The plot of log K(mab) against log k(mb)(2) shows a linear relationship between the formation constants of the ternary and 1:2 M(II)secondary ligand complexes.