Co-ordination Ability of Cu2+ ion toward the Nucleobase-Amino Acid Willardiine

The complex formation between Cu-II and DL-willardiine [1-(2-amino-2-carboxyethyl)uracil], an analog of phenylalanine containing the uracil residue, was investigated by potentiometric and spectral studies. The results indicate that the primary metal binding site of the ligand is the a-amino-carboxylate chelating set. The uracil moiety, however, can coordinate the metal ion in basic solution giving rise to intermolecular bridging. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.