MOLECULAR RECOGNITION OF ALKYL-AMINES AND ARYLALKYL-AMINES IN DICHLOROMETHANE AND CHLOROFORM BY CALIX[4]-CROWN ETHERS

The calix[4]-crown-6 ether 2 exhibited pronounced molecular recognition properties toward alkylamines. -Delta G degrees values obtained for the solvent extraction of alkylamines into dichloromethane by compound 2 ranged up to 9.7 kcal mol(-1). This binding strength generally decreased with the increasing size of the alkyl chain of the ammonium guests. H-1 NMR titrations of compound 2 with alkyl- or arylalkyl-ammonium guests in CDCl3 revealed that the primary binding site is the central part of the crown moiety. Host 2 exhibited. much larger discrimination than the dibenzo-18-crown-6 ether, favouring linear over other isomeric amines. Transport selectivity between butyl- and tert-butyl-ammonium guests was found to be greater than a 70-fold excess, as assessed by the competitive transport through chloroform liquid membrane.