Golden crowns: cation binding by macrocyclic gold(I) crown ether derivatives

Abstract

The polyether bis(alkynes) α,ω-bis( O-propargyl)triethylene glycol and α,ω-bis( O-4-propargyloxyphenoxy)triethylene glycol reacted with [AuCl(SMe 2)] in the presence of base to form the corresponding oligomeric gold(I) acetylide complexes (AuCCCH 2O(CH 2CH 2O) 3CH 2CCAu) n and (AuCCCH 2OC 6H 4O(CH 2CH 2O) 3C 6H 4OCH 2CCAu) n . These digold(I) diacetylide complexes reacted with diphosphine ligands to give macrocyclic digold(I) complexes of the type [Au 2(μ-CC)(μ-PP)], where CC is the diacetylide and PP is a diphosphine ligand. These digold(I) complexes bind the cations Li +, Na +, K + and Cs +, as studied by electrospray mass spectrometry.