Complexation of acyclic ligands having two terminal quinoline units with alkali metal cations

Abstract

Abstract Acyclic multidentate ligands consisting of an oligooxyethylene chain (di-, tri-, tetra-, and penta-) and two terminal rigid quinaldate end groups were newly prepared and their complexation properties with alkali metal cations were estimated by the solvent extraction method to indicate a better affinity for K+. Among them, the tetraethylene glycol derivative showed the highest K+ binding on about the same level as 18-crown-6. Their conformations in solution and in the solid state were examined by using 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystal analyses, respectively. The better binding of K+ in comparison with the corresponding glymes or analogues having the same donor sites was reasonably explained by considering the effective co-ordination of the carbonyl oxygen of the ester groups and the parallel π-stacking interaction between two quinaldate surfaces.