Patent ID: 8372379

Claim:
Tridentate chelators of the type tris(pyrazolyl)methane (R 1 C(pf*) 3 ) and bis(pyrazolyl)amine((pz*) 2 CH(CH 2 ) n NHR 1 or (pz*)(CH 2 ) n NR 1 (CH 2 ) n (pz*) of formulae (I), (II) and (III) respectively: wherein at least one of R 1 R 2 , R 3 and R 4 is a linear or macrocyclic ether group of the type —R x —O—R Y or [(CH 2 ) x O] y (CH 2 ) z (x=2-3, y=3-8, z=2-5), respectively, and each of the other three R groups is independently hydrogen; a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1 to C 9 alkyl; a saturated or unsaturated carbocyclic group; a saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic or heteroaliphatic group with one or more atoms selected from O, N and S, wherein said carbocyclics, heterocyclics and heteroaliphatics are optionally substituted by one or more linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1 to C 9 alkyls; an ether group —R x —O—R Y or [(CH 2 ) x O] y (CH 2 ) z (x=2-3, y=3-8, z=2-5), wherein R x and R Y are independently linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1 to C 9 alkyl, or saturated or unsaturated carbocyclics, any of which alkyl and/or carbocyclic groups may be substituted or unsubstituted, provided that when the tridentate chelator is of the type of formula (I), when R 1 is —R x —O—R Y wherein R Y is substituted, and R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are each H, R Y is not substituted apically by a further tris(pyrazolyl)methane moiety; and when R 1 is —R x —O—R Y and R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are each H, R 1 cannot be —CH 2 —O—CH 2 -(p- t Bu-C 6 H 4 ).