Crystal structure analyses of 1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecane and its complexes with alkali thiocyanates

Cationic Effects on the Structural Dynamics of the Metal Ion-Crown Ether Complexes Investigated by Ultrafast Infrared Spectroscopy

It is usually believed that the binding affinity and selectivity of an alkali metal ion with crown ether are defined by the size matching model. However, the underlying mechanism of the specific host-guest interactions and the structural dynamics of the metal ions confined in the cavity of the crown ethers in the solutions are still not clear. In this report, a series of alkali thiocyanate salts (XSCN; X = Li, Na, K, and Cs) complexed with 18-crown-6 (a typical crown ether) in the chloroform solutions were studied by the polarization-selective infrared pump-probe spectroscopy and the ultrafast two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectroscopy. The SCN^- counteranions were employed as the local vibrational probe to reveal the specific host-guest interactions in the crown ether complexes. The rotational dynamics and spectral diffusion of SCN^- vibration were both measured by ultrafast IR spectroscopy, and it was found that the metal cations hosted by the crown ethers can have a pronounced effect on the rotational dynamics of the counteranions. The reorientational time constants of the SCN^- vibration in the complexation follow the order Li⁺ > Na⁺ > K⁺ ≃ Cs⁺. More importantly, the spectral diffusion dynamics of SCN^-, which quantifies the decay of the correlation of the frequency fluctuations in the complexation, was also affected by the metal ions but showed a different order of cationic effect. A detailed analysis of the 2D IR data showed that the spectral diffusion of SCN^- counteranion clearly decayed with two different time scales in the complex of 18-crown-6 with K⁺. The 3-4-fold slowdown in spectral diffusion indicated that the fluctuation of SCN^- vibrational transition frequency was strongly affected by the K⁺ cation due to the geometric constraint imposed by the crown ether. The results should help the researchers to unravel the specific host-guest interactions and further reveal the origination of the binding selectivity of crown ether for metal cations in the condensed phases from the perspective of structural dynamics.

Effective Na+-Binding Ability and Molecular Assembly of an Alkylamide-Substituted Penta(ethylene)glycol Derivative

A new amphiphilic penta(ethylene glycol) derivative (1) bearing two hydrogen-bonding -CONHC₁₄H₂₉ chains was prepared. Compound 1 exhibited ion-recognition abilities for Na⁺ and K⁺, and its properties were compared with those of the macrocyclic [18]crown-6. Although both compound 1 and [18]crown-6 have six ether oxygen atoms (-OC₂H₂-), the Na⁺-binding ability of the former was much higher than that of the latter. K⁺-binding ability of cyclic [18]crown-6 was much higher than its Na⁺-binding ability, while the reverse was true for acyclic compound 1. Single-crystal X-ray structural analysis of Na⁺·1·B(Ph)₄^-·(hexane)₂ at 100 K revealed the existence of a wrapped Na⁺-coordination by six ether and one carbonyl oxygen atoms of 1, which was further stabilized by intramolecular N-H···O═ hydrogen-bonding interactions. The complex phase transition during glass (G) formation and recrystallization was confirmed in the thermal cycle of Na⁺·1·B(Ph)₄^-, whose molten state showed two kinds of liquid phases, Na⁺-complexed (Na⁺·1) + B(Ph)₄^- and completely dissociated Na⁺ + 1 + B(Ph)₄^-. The Na⁺ conductivity of the molten state was 2 orders of magnitude higher than that of the G phase.

Specific Host-Guest Interactions in the Crown Ether Complexes with K+ and NH4+ Revealed from the Vibrational Relaxation Dynamics of the Counteranion

The specific host-guest interactions in the corresponding complexes of K⁺ and NH₄⁺ with typical crown ethers were investigated by using FTIR and ultrafast IR spectroscopies. The counteranions, i.e., SCN^-, were employed as a local vibrational probe to report the structural dynamics of the complexation. It was found that the vibrational relaxation dynamics of the SCN^- was strongly affected by the cations confined in the cavities of the crown ethers. The time constant of the vibrational population decay of SCN^- in the complex of NH₄⁺ with the 18-crown-6 was determined to be 6 ± 2 ps, which is ∼30 times faster than that in the complex of K⁺ with the crown ethers. Control experiments showed that the vibrational population decay of SCN^- depended on the size of the cavities of the crown ethers. A theoretical calculation further indicated that the nitrogen atom of SCN^- showed preferential coordination to the K⁺ ions hosted by the crown ethers, while the NH₄⁺ can form hydrogen bonds with the oxygen atoms in the studied crown ethers. The geometric constraints formed in the complex of crown ethers can cause a specific interaction between the NH₄⁺ and SCN^-, which can facilitate the intermolecular vibrational energy redistribution of the SCN^-.

Infrared multiple photon dissociation action spectroscopy of protonated glycine, histidine, lysine, and arginine complexed with 18-crown-6 ether

Complexes of 18-crown-6 ether (18C6) with four protonated amino acids (AAs) are examined using infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) action spectroscopy utilizing light generated by the infrared free electron laser at the Centre Laser Infrarouge d'Orsay (CLIO). The AAs examined in this work include glycine (Gly) and the three basic AAs: histidine (His), lysine (Lys), and arginine (Arg). To identify the (AA)H⁺(18C6) conformations present in the experimental studies, the measured IRMPD spectra are compared to spectra calculated at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory. Relative energies of various conformers and isomers are provided by single point energy calculations carried out at the B3LYP, B3P86, M06, and MP2(full) levels using the 6-311+G(2p,2d) basis set. The comparisons between the IRMPD and theoretical IR spectra indicate that 18C6 binds to Gly and His via the protonated backbone amino group, whereas protonated Lys prefers binding via the protonated side-chain amino group. Results for Arg are less definitive with strong evidence for binding to the protonated guanidino side chain (the calculated ground conformer at most levels of theory), but contributions from backbone binding to a zwitterionic structure are likely.

Molecular design of macrocyclic compounds for complete removal of thallium(I) from wastewater

Design of new adsorbents for complete removal of thallium(I) from wastewater is of significant importance. Based on the theory of binding ability between crown ether and metal ion, a kind of Tl(I)-selected crown ether, thio-18-crown-6 ether, was designed. Subsequently, modeling calculations were performed to investigate the microscopic interaction between 18-crown-6 ether and its sulfur-substituted derivatives with Tl⁺. The results showed that thio-18-crown-6 ether generally showed higher affinity to Tl⁺ than 18-crown-6. The stabilities of these complexes ranked in an order of 5S-18C6 > 4S-18C6(II) > 2S-18C6(I) > 2S-18C6(II) > 6S-18C6 > 3S-18C6 > 18C6 > 1S-18C6. The binding energies of 5S-18C6 with free Zn²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Cd²⁺, which are usually impurity ions in thallium-containing wastewater, were more negative than with Tl⁺, indicating more affinity of 5S-18C6 toward these free two-valence ions. However, after the influence of solvent (water) was taken into account, 5S-18C6 showed fairly high selectivity to Tl(I) over Zn²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Cd²⁺. Therefore, 5S-18C6 should be a proper compound which has the promising potential to be adopted for the complete and selective removal of Tl(I) from wastewater. Further synthesis and adsorption experiments are needed to verify this prediction.

Computational modeling of capillary electrophoretic behavior of primary amines using dual system of 18-crown-6 and β-cyclodextrin

Using capillary electrophoresis (CE) three chiral primary amine compounds 1-aminoindan (AI), 1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine (NEA) and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-naphthylamine (THAN), exhibited only partial or no separation when β-cyclodextrin (βCD) was used as chiral selector. The use of 18-crown-6 (18C6) as a second additive with βCD resulted in an enhanced separation. A molecular modeling study, using molecular mechanics and the semiempirical PM6 calculations, was used to help explaining the mechanism of the enantiodifferentiation and to predict the separation process. Optimization of the structures of the complexes by the PM6 method indicate that the poor separation obtained in the presence of the βCD chiral selector alone is due to the small binding energy differences (ΔΔE) of 4.7, 1.1 and 1.2 kcal mol(-1) for AI, NEA and THAN, respectively. In the presence of 18C6 it was suggested that a sandwich compound between 18C6, amine and βCD is formed. Theoretical calculations show that a significant increase in the binding energy is obtained for the sandwich compounds indicating strong hydrophobic and van der Waals interactions that show enhanced enantiodifferentiation.

Unexpected Structural Diversity in Alkali Metal Azide-Crown Ether Complexes: Syntheses, X-ray Structures, and Quantum-Chemical Calculations

A series of alkali metal azide-crown ether complexes, [Li([12]crown-4)(N3)], [Na([15]crown-5)(N3)], [Na([15]crown-5)(H2O)2]N3, [K([18]crown-6)(N3)(H2O)], [Rb([18]crown-6)(N3)(H2O)], [Cs([18]crown-6)(N3)]2, and [Cs([18]crown-6)(N3)(H2O)(MeOH)], has been synthesised. In most cases, single crystals were obtained, which allowed X-ray crystal structures to be derived. The structures obtained have been compared with molecular structures computed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This has allowed the effects of the crystal lattice on the structures to be investigated. Also, a study of the M-N(terminal) metal-azide bond length and charge densities on the metal (M) and terminal nitrogen centre (N(terminal)) in these complexes has allowed the nature of the metal-azide bond to be probed in each case. The bonding in these complexes is believed to be predominantly ionic or ion-dipole in character, with the differences in geometries reflecting the balance between maximising the coordination number of the metal centre and minimising ligand-ligand repulsions. The structures of the crown ether complexes determined in this work show the subtle interplay of such factors. The significant role of hydrogen bonding is also demonstrated, most clearly in the structures of the K and Rb dimers, but also in the chain structure of the hydrated Cs complex.

Inorganic Supramolecular Host Architectures: [(M@18c6)2][TlI4]·2H2O, M = 0.5 Tl, (NH4,NH3), (H3O,H2O)

The compounds [(M@18c6)2][TlI4].2H2O, M=Tl, (NH4,NH3), (H3O,H2O) (cubic, Fd; a=1481.00 pm, for M=0.5 Tl, a=1304.65 pm for M=(NH4,NH3), a=1313.67 pm for M=(H3O,H2O)) can be obtained from solution in the presence of traces of transition metal halides (like copper and mercury halides). Apparently the transition metal cations work as a template in the form of tetrahedral [MX4] units during the synthesis of the supramolecular host architecture. That the compounds are versatile host lattices for tetrahedrally coordinated transition metal units becomes obvious by the large group of known host-guest complex compounds, [(MIIX4)(MI@18c6)4][TlX4]2.nH2O (MII=Cu, Co, Zn, Mn; MI=NH4+, Rb, Tl; X=Cl, Br).

Spectroscopic studies of the interaction between crown ethers and organic nitriles

The interaction of 18-crown-6 (18C6), diaza-18-crown-6 (DA18C6), and dithia-18-crown-6 (DT18C6) with acetonitrile and malononitrile was investigated using infrared spectroscopy, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and molecular modeling. The interaction between 18C6 and the nitriles involves hydrogen bonding between the CH3/CH2 protons of the nitriles and the ether oxygens of the crown. In contrast, the interaction between the organic nitriles and DA18C6 involves the nitrogen of the nitrile group and the N-H groups of the crown. Due to the bulkiness of the sulfur atoms of DT18C6, no interaction was observed to occur between acetonitrile and the crown.

Syntheses and Structure Determinations of Calcium Thiolates

The exploration of synthetic methodologies toward heavy alkaline-earth chalcogenolates resulted in the preparation and structural characterization of a family of calcium thiolates, including [Ca(SC(6)F(5))(2)(py)(4)], 1 (py = pyridine), the separated ion-triple [Ca(18-crown-6)(NH(3))(3))][SMes](2).2THF, 2 (Mes = 2,4,6-tBu(3)C(6)H(2)), and the contact triple [Ca(18-crown-6)(SMes)(2)].THF, 3. Compound 1 was prepared by treating [Ca(N(SiMe(3))(2))(2)](2) with 4 equiv of HSC(6)F(5) under addition of pyridine. The thiolates 2 and 3 were synthesized by treatment of calcium metal dissolved in dry, liquid NH(3) under addition of 2 equiv of HSMes and crown ether or, alternatively, by the reduction of MesSSMes with calcium metal in dry, liquid ammonia. We also report two reaction products isolated during attempted calcium thiolate syntheses: [CaBr(4)(THF)(2)(&mgr;(2)-Li)(2)(THF)(4)], 4, isolated as the product of a salt elimination reaction between CaBr(2) and 2 equiv of [Li(THF)(n)()S-2,4,6-(i)()Pr(3)C(6)H(2)](m)(). [(NH(4))(py)(SC(6)F(5))], 5, was obtained as the sole product in the reaction of metallic calcium with HSC(6)F(5) in liquid ammonia under addition of pyridine. All compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography in addition to IR and NMR spectroscopy.