SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASE ACTIVITY OF SOME TERNARY COPPER(II) DIPEPTIDE-2,2'-BIPYRIDINE, 1,10-PHENANTHROLINE AND 2,9-DIMETHYL-1,10-PHENANTHROLINE COMPLEXES

Several complexes of 2,2'-bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline and 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline with copper(II) dipeptides have been synthesized. These complexes are neutral and show a broad absorption band in the range 630-640 nm due to d-d transition. The solution and glassy state ESR spectra of the complexes have been measured at 301 and 77 K, respectively. The magnetic and bonding parameters of these complexes have been calculated from the above data. The ESR spectral data suggest that these complexes have distorted square pyramidal geometry about Cu(II). The superoxide dismutase activity of several of the above complexes has been measured. They show higher activity than the corresponding CU(II) dipeptide complexes because of a strong axial bond of one of the nitrogen atoms of the alpha-diimine.