Polarographic study of thallium(I) complexes with large crown ethers in binary acetonitrile-water mixtures

The complexation reactions between the Tl+ ion and large crown ethers dibenzo-30-crown-10 (DB30C10), dibenzo-27-crown-9 (DB27C9), dibenzo-24-crown-8 (DB24C8) and dibenzo-21-crown-7 (DB21C7) were studied in different acetonitrile-water mixtures at 25 degrees C using an a.c. polarographic technique. The stoichiometry and stability of the complexes were determined by monitoring the shift in peak potential of the polarographic waves of the metal ion against the crown concentration. In all solvent mixtures used, the stability of the resulting 1:1 complexes was found to vary in the order DC24C8 >> DB30C10 > DB21C7 > DB27C9 > DB24C8. There is an inverse relationship between the complex formation constants and the amount of water in the mixed solvent. In all cases, a linear relation was observed between log K-f and the mole fraction of acetonitrile in its mixtures with water.