Modelling the use of lanthanides(III) as probes at calcium(II) binding sites in biological systems: Preparation and characterization of neodymium(III) and calcium(II) malonamato(-1) complexes

Reactions of malonamic acid (H2malm) with CaII and NdIII sources under similar conditions yielded the compounds [Ca(Hmalm)2]n (1), [Nd(Hmalm)2(H2O)2]n(NO3)n (2) and [Nd(Hmalm)2(H2O)2]nCln·2nH2O (3·2nH2O). Differences in the ligation modes of the ligand and the coordination numbers of the metal ions resulted in 3D and 1D structures for 1 and 2/3, respectively. The bioinorganic chemistry relevance of our results is discussed.