Lower ligand denticity leading to improved thermodynamic and kinetic stability of the Gd ³⁺ complex: The strange case of OBETA

OBETA, OBETA, you bet: Thermodynamic and kinetic measurements show an apparent paradox. The stability of complexes of lanthanide trivalent ions is higher with the heptadentate ligand OBETA (ethylene glycol-bis(2-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid) than with its octadentate homologue EGTA (2,2'-oxybis(ethylamine)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid). The unusual properties of GdACHTUNGTRENUNG(OBETA) (see structure), combined with the presence of two fast exchanging coordinated water molecules, candidates this complex as an MRI contrast agent.