A Partially Substituted Calix[4]resorcarene Receptor and Its Selective Recognition for Soft Metal Cations (Silver and Mercury)

Abstract

A partially substituted calix[4]resorcarene receptor, namely, 5,17-ethylthiomethylated calix[4]resorcarene, 1, has been synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR in CD3OD, CDCl3, and CD3CN and 13C NMR in CD3OD, as well as by 2D NMR. Partition data in the methanol-hexane and acetonitrile-hexane solvent systems show that the monomeric species are predominant in these solvents. The solubility of 1 in various solvents was determined at 298.15 K. These data were used to calculate the standard solution Gibbs energy of 1 in these solvents. Taking hexane as the reference solvent, the standard transfer Gibbs energy of 1 to various solvents was calculated. Good agreement is found between the DeltatG(o) values in the hexane-methanol and hexane-acetonitrile and the DeltapG(o) values of this ligand in these solvent systems. The higher partition constant of 1 in the hexane-methanol relative to the hexane-acetonitrile solvent system contrasts with corresponding data for the fully functionalized receptor, 2. This is explained in terms of the solvation differences of these receptors in these solvents as reflected in the DeltatG(o) values. The cation complexing properties of this receptor were investigated through 1H NMR, conductance, calorimetric, and potentiometric methods. Among the metal cations (alkali, alkaline earth, heavy, and transition), 1 interacts only with Ag+ in methanol and Hg2+ in propylene carbonate, acetonitrile, methanol, and N,N-dimethylformamide. While 1 forms a 1:1 complex with Ag+ in methanol, the hosting ability of the receptor for the mercury cation is enhanced in methanol, acetonitrile, and N,N-diethylformamide. Thus, Hg2+ complexes of 1:2 (ligand:metal cation) stoichiometry are found in these solvents. In moving to propylene carbonate, the composition of the mercury complex is altered from 1:2 to 1:1. The results are compared with corresponding data for 2 and these metal cations in the appropriate solvents. The lack of stability observed for 2 and Hg2+ in acetonitrile resulting from the departure of pendant arms from the resorcarene backbone greatly contrasts with the high stability observed for 1 and this metal cation in the various solvents. Preliminary results on the extraction of silver picrate by this ligand in the water-dichloromethane solvent system are reported. Final conclusions are given.