Complexes of copper(II) dipeptides with hexacyanoferrate(III). Magnetic and spectroscopic properties

The interaction between hexacyanoferrate(III) and two copper(II) dipeptide complexes, such as Cu(II)- glycylhistidine and Cu(II)-glycylphenylalanine, has been investigated by electronic and EPR spectroscopy and by magnetic susceptibility measurements. In both cases the magnetic susceptibility values sum to those corresponding to the patent complexes. However, the electronic relaxation time of the copper(II) ion in the mixed complexes is modified so much that the copper(II) EPR signal disappears suggesting the existence of a specific metal—metal interaction probably through a cyanide bridge. This hypothesis is also supported by the appearance of an hypsochromic shift of the Cu(II) electronic band after addition of hexacyanoferrate(III).