Complexes Possessing Rare "Tertiary" Sulfonamide Nitrogen-to-Metal Bonds of Normal Length: fac-[Re(CO)3(N(SO2R)dien)]PF6 Complexes with Hydrophilic Sulfonamide Ligands.

Tertiary sulfonamide nitrogen-to-metal bonds of normal length are very rare. We recently discovered such a bond in one class of fac-[Re(CO)3(N(SO2R)(CH2Z)2)]n complexes (Z = 2-pyridyl) with N(SO5R)dpa ligands derived from di-(2-picolyl)amine (N(H)dpa). fac-[M(CO)3(N- (SO2R)(CH2Z)2)]n agents (M = 86/188Re, 99mTc) could find use as radiopharmaceutical bioconjugates when R is a targeting moiety. However, the planar, electron-withdrawing 2-pyridyl groups of IV(SO2R)dpa destabilize the ligand to base and create relatively rigid chelate rings, raising the possibility that the rare M--N(suifonamide) bond is an artifact of a restricted geometry. Also, the hydrophobic 2-pyridyl groups could cause undesirable accumulation in the liver, limiting future use in radiopharmaceuticals. Our goal is to identify a robust, hydrophilic, and flexible N(CH2Z)2 chelate framework. New C2-symrnetric ligands, N(SO2R)(CH2Z)2 with (Z = CH2NH2; R = Me, dmb, or tol), were prepared by treating N(H)dien(Boc)2, a protected diethylenetriamine (N(H)dien) derivative, with methanesulfonyl chloride (MeSO2Cl), 3,5-dimethylbenzenesulfonyl chloride (dmbSO2Cl), and 4-methylbenzenesulfonyI chloride (tolSO2Cl). Treatment of fac-[Re(CO)3(H2O)3]+ with these ligands, designated as N(SO2R)dien, afforded new fac-[Re(CO)3(N(SO2R)dien)]PF6 complexes. Comparing the fac-[Re- (CO)3(N(SO2Me)dien)]PF6 and fac-[Re(CO)3(N(SO2Me)dpa)]PF6 complexes, we find that the Re¹-N(sulfonamide) bonds are normal in length and statistically identical and that the methyl C NMR signal has an unusually upfield shift compared to that in the free ligand. We attribute this unusual upfield shift to the fact that the sulfonamide N undergoes an sp² -to-sp³ rehybridization upon coordination to Re¹ in both complexes. Thus, the sulfonamide N of N(SO2R)dien ligands is a good donor, even though the chelate rings are conformationally flexible. Addition of the strongly basic and potentially monodentate ligand, 4-dimethylaminopyridine, did not affect the fac-[Re(CO)3(N(SO2tol)dien)]PF6 complex, even after several weeks. This complex is also stable to heat in aqueous solution. These results indicate that N(SO2R)dien ligands form fac-[Re(CO)3(N(SO2R)dien)]PF6 complexes sufficiently robust to be utilized for radiopharmaceutical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]