An integrated experimental and quantum chemical study on the complexation properties of (9′-fluorene)-spiro-5-hydantoin and its thioanalogue

• fluorene-spiro-5-hydantoins form Cu(II) complexes only in presence of a strong base.
• experimental and DFT-calculated EPR parameters allowed for geometry verification.
• Electronic and structural effects on the complexation abilities of spiro-hydantoins.

The reactivities of (9′-fluorene)-spiro-5-hydantoin and its thio-analogue with Cu(II) were studied in different reaction conditions and the formed products were characterized by spectroscopic methods (IR, NMR and/or EPR). It was found that unlike the 2,4-dithio- analogue, both the (9′-fluorene)-spiro-5-hydantoin and its 2-thio derivative form Cu(II) complexes only in presence of a strong base. We identified the coordination mode of the ligands and the structure of the complexes through geometry optimization of different models and calculations of the corresponding spectroscopic parameters using ab initio quantum chemical methods. The comparison between the experimental and the theoretical data suggested monodentate coordination of the fluorene-hydantoin ligands after deprotonation of one amido group. Additional confirmations of this proposition were obtained from the experimental and DFT-calculated EPR parameters (g-factor and A-tensor), which allowed for determination of the most probable geometry of the complexes. We further employed the quantum chemical methods to explain the observed differences in the complexation abilities of variously spiro-5-substituted thio- and dithio-hydantoins, accounting for the structural effects on the electron density and acidity of the hydantoin ring.