The crystal and molecular structure of cytosine-glycyl-glycine-copper(II) complex,a biologically important ternary coordination complex

The title compound was prepared and studied to gain some insight into the structural basis for the protein-nucleic acid-metal ion interaction. The crystal structure has been determined from three-dimensional diffractometer X-ray data using Cu Kα radiation. The crystals are monoclinic, space group $\text{P2}{}_1\text{c}$, with cell dimension; a=10.642(1)Å, b=8.081(1)Å, c=17.792(1)Å, β=124.29(1)^o, z=4. Amino and amide nitrogen, carboxyl O(8) of glycylglycine, N(3) of cytosine and O(2) of adjacent cytosine molecule coordinate to the central copper ion to form a square pyramid. An additional weak interaction in complex molecule between copper and O(2) of cytosine is also observed. The complex molecules are held together by hydrogen- and coordination-bonds in crystalline state.