Abstract The complexation of Fe III by new tetradentate and pentadentate aminocarboxylate chelators, designed to protect cells against iron-catalysed oxidative damage, was investigated. Ferric iron complexes of N, N′-bis (3, 4, 5-trimethoxybenzyl) ethylenediamine- N, N′-diacetic acid (L1), N, N′-dibenzylethylenediamine-N, N′-diacetic acid (L2) and [N- (2-hydroxybenzyl)-N′-benzylethylenediamine-N, N′-diacetic acid](L3) have been ...