Preparation, UV–vis, IR, EPR and resonance Raman study of Fe, Ni, Co and Zn dioxolene complexes

An UV–vis, Raman, IR and EPR spectroscopic study was performed for the water soluble complexes of Fe(III), Ni(II), Co(II) and Zn(II) coordinated to dioxolene ligands derived from oxidized dopamine. The complexes were obtained and stabilized at neutral pH by the strong reducing agent sodium thiosulfate. Iron(III) stabilizes the ligand in catecholate form as [Fe(III)(Cat)2]1−, Cat = dopacatecholate, and the divalent metals as dopasemiquinone (SQ): [Ni(SQ)3]1−, [Co(SQ)3]1− and [Zn(SQ)3]1−. The resonance Raman spectra of the solid complexes as [CAT][Ni(SQ)3], [CTA][Co(SQ)3] and [CTA][Zn(SQ)3], CTA is the cetyltrimethylammonium, are very similar to the spectra of the complexes in solution, while the Fe(III) complex is a mixture of two iron complexes, with catecholate or dopasemiquinone ligands.