Synthesis and coordination of a <i>tert</i>-butyl functionalized facially coordinating 2-histidine-1-carboxylate model ligand

Herein, we report a bulky variant of bis-benzimidazole carboxylate ligand. The five-position the benzimidazole groups were substituted with tertiary butyl intention preventing bis-ligation and oligomerization, as was observed in other studies using similar ligands. Unfortunately, even bulkier substituents, new ligand still formed bis-ligated structure. Although did not afford desired mono-ligated species under conditions studied here, preparation coordination compounds provides an added design principle ongoing efforts preparing structurally faithful 2-histidine-1-carboxylate model ligands biomimetic chemistry.