Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of the solution chemistry of metal complexes. XV. Trimethyllead complexes of inorganic ligands

The formation constants of the trimethyllead(IV) complexes of SO32−, SeO32−, S2O32−, SCN−, HPO42−, CO32−, Cl−, Br−, and I− have been determined in aqueous solution by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The formation constants are in general fairly small and the extent to which complexes form is strongly dependent on pH. At high pH (CH3)3PbOH forms while at low pH protonation of those ligands which are the conjugate bases of weak acids competes with complex formation. There is no indication of high selectivity in the binding of trimethyllead(IV) by a particular ligand type, and calculations indicate that trimethyllead(IV) is likely to be distributed among a variety of ligands in biological fluids, including chloride which forms uncharged and presumably lipid soluble (CH3)3PbCl.