Synthesis and antimicrobial activities of isomers of N(4),N(11)-dimethyl-3,5,7,7,10,12,14,14-octamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane and their nickel(II) complexes.

The reactions of two isomers of 3,5,7,7,10,12,14,14-octamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane (differing in the orientation of the methyl groups on the chiral carbon atoms), designated as L(B) and L(C), with CH(3)I in the ratio of 1:4 resulted in the substitution of the N(4) and N(11) protons by CH(3) groups, forming the dimethyl derivatives L(BZ) and L(CZ), respectively. These ligands, on interaction with nickel(II) acetate tetrahydrate and subsequent addition of lithium perchlorate, produce square-planar yellow [NiL(BZ)][ClO(4)](2) and orange [NiL(C'Z)][ClO(4)](2). These nickel complexes undergo axial ligand addition reactions with NCS(-), Cl(-), Br(-), and I(-) as X(-) to form six-coordinate trans-diisothiocyanato, -dichloro, -dibromo, and -diiodo complexes of formula [NiLX(2)], where L = L(BZ) or L(C'Z), and X = SCN, Cl, Br, or I.