The study on metal-amino acid-nucleotide ternary complexes may provide a model for the more complicated metal-protein-nucleic acid interaction. The ternary complexes containing Cu(II), amino acid (L-Ala and L-His) and nucleotide (5'-GMP and 5'-IMP) were synthesized and characterized. In these complexes the O atom at carboxylate group and the N atom at a-amino group of 2 L-Ala coordinate with Cu(II), the O atom at carboxylate group and the N atom at the imidazole ring of a L-His coordinate with Cu(II), and the N(7) atom of purine ring of 5'-GMP or 5'-IMP coordinates with Cu(II) too. There is interaction between phosphate group of 5'-GMP with L-Ala or L-His, but no interaction in 5'-IMP ternary complexes. The C(6):O of purine for 5'-GMP or 5'-IMP may be coordinating with Cu(II) or forming H bond.

Key words: COPPER COMPLEX, TERNARY COMPLEX, CHARACTERIZATION, NUCLEOTIDES