The complexation of alkali metal ions by crown ethers, aza crown ethers, and cryptands in propylene carbonate

Abstract

The reactions between alkali metal ions and crown ethers, aza crown ethers, and cryptands in propylene carbonate were studied by potentiometric and calorimetric titrations. The most stable complexes formed by macrocyclic and macrobicyclic ligands are when the ligand and cation dimensions are comparable. On comparing the complex stabilities of crown ethers and aza crown ethers of the same size, crown ethers were, on the whole, found to form the most stable complexes, with the exception of the lithium cation. Enthalpic factors are responsible. Substitution of the amino group protons of the aza crown ethers by benzyl groups leads to a high increase in values of the reaction enthalpy. This effect is partly compensated by entropic contributions. The bulky benzyl groups reduce the ligand solvent interactions and induce a ligand conformation with the lone pair of electrons from the nitrogen donor atoms which are more or less directed inside the cavity. The thermodynamic data for the transfer from methanol to propylene carbonate indicate that the ligands containing nitrogen show specific interactions with methanol.