EnglishAbstract The stability constants of the 1:1 complexes formed between Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+ or Cd2+ (= M2+) and 5,6-dichloro-l-(β-ᴅ-ribofuranosyl)benzim idazole (DRB) were determined by potentiom etric pH titrations in aqueous solution (25 °C; I = 0.5м, NaNO3). The acidity constant of H(DRB)+, the proton being at N3, was measured by the same method and the result was confirmed via spectrophotometry. Based on previously established [L. E. Kapinos, B. Song, H. Sigel, Inorg. Chim . Acta 280, in press (1998)] logммʟ versus Kʜʜʟ straight-line plots for complexes of imidazole-type ligands it is shown for the Mn(DRB)2+ and Zn (DRB)2+ complexes, as examples, that the benzene ring of the benzim idazole residue exerts a steric inhibition for metal ion binding at N3; i.e., the data points for the M(DRB)2+ complexes fall clearly below the straight lines defined by the imidazole- type ligands.