The synthesis and structural characterization of novel zinc and cadmium complexes of chelating alcohol

Reaction of Zn(II) and Cd(II) ion with 1-benzyl-2-hydroxymethylimidazole (1-Bz-2-CH2OHIm) afforded two novel complexes [Zn(1-Bz-2-CH2OHIm)4](NO3)2 · 1.5H2O (1) and [Cd(1-Bz-2-CH2OHIm)4](NO3)2(H2O)2 (2). The structures of compounds are very interesting and different from each other. The shape of the coordination polyhedron of Zn(II) is very rare for six-coordinated complexes and can be described as a distorted trigonal antiprism (space group C2/c). The cadmium complex exhibits an unusual eight-coordinate structure (CdN4O4) and the coordination polyhedron can be described as a pseudo-tetragonal antiprism distorted to C2 symmetry. Both structural and spectroscopic (NMR, IR) data suggest 1-Bz-2-CH2OHIm as a potentially good chelator for the removal of toxic cadmium from the body.