Cyclic ionophores

We now proceed to more complicated ionophores in order to testify the validity of this extrathermodynamic relationship and its hypothetical interpretation as an attempt to understand the nature of supramolecular interactions more generally and deeply. The thermodynamic parameters are plotted in Figures 16-19 for long glymes, (pseudo)cyclic ionophore antibiotics, lariat ethers with donating side-arm(s), and bis(crown ethers), whose structural changes upon complexation are schematically illustrated in Figure 20. 

Pseudo cyclic ionophores Binary-effect of quinolinyloxy groups at both ends of oligoethylene glycols on the conformational stabilization of their complexes with alkali metal salts, R. Wakita, M. Miyakoshi, Y. Nakatsuki and M. Okahara, J. Inclusion Phenom. Mol. Rec. Chem., 1991, 10, 127. 

A number of cyclic ionophores for ISEs are known. Their design optimization has generally been based on consideration of many input parameters, including a need to create a cavity that matches the targeted ion, the stability of... 

Another ISE based on a cyclic ionophore for heavier lanthanides was predicated on a diazatetratiua-18-crown-6 derivative containing the 4,5-ditiuo-l,3-dithiole-2-thione unit (23). These ISEs allowed for the recogiution of die Ho ions selectively over many heavy metals, transition metals, alkali metal, and lanthanide ions. In particular, lidle interference from the La ion was observed (selectivity coefficient, log Ksei > -2) and a DL for Ho of 6.3 x 10 M was achieved. ... 

A family of naturally occurring cyclic ionophores known as nactins, macrotetrolide antibiotics, include nonactin and its homologues, like monactin, dinactin, tiinactin, tetranac-tin, and so on. Nactins are the products of bacterial species Streptomyces that exhibit antimicrobial, antibac-... 

Some of these compounds could be considered as dietary additives, but various other terms, including pesticides, can also be used. They can have beneficial effects on the environment and this aspect will be discussed later. The ionophore monensin, which is an alicyclic polyether (Figure 1), is a secondary metabolite of Streptomyces and aids the prevention of coccidiosis in poultry. Monensin is used as a growth promoter in cattle and also to decrease methane production, but it is toxic to equine animals. " Its ability to act as an ionophore is dependent on its cyclic chelating effect on metal ions. ° The hormones bovine somatotropin (BST) and porcine somatotropin (PST), both of which are polypeptides, occur naturally in lactating cattle and pigs, respectively, but can also be produced synthetically using recombinant DNA methods and administered to such animals in order to increase milk yields and lean meat production. "... 

Cholanic acid also possesses the ability of transporting cations across a lipophilic membrane but the selectivity is not observed because it contains no recognition sites for specific cations. In the basic region, monensin forms a lipophilic complex with Na+, which is the counter ion of the carboxylate, by taking a pseudo-cyclic structure based on the effective coordination of the polyether moiety. The lipophilic complex taken up in the liquid membrane is transferred to the active region by diffusion. In the acidic region, the sodium cation is released by the neutralization reaction. The cycle is completed by the reverse transport of the free carboxylic ionophore. 

In mimicking this type of function, noncyclic artificial carboxylic ionophores having two terminal groups of hydroxyl and carboxylic acid moieties were synthesized and the selective transport of alkali metal cations were examined by Yamazaki et al. 9 10). Noncyclic polyethers take on a pseudo-cyclic structure when coordinating cations and so it is possible to achieve the desired selectivity for specific cations by adjusting the length of the polyether chain 2). However, they were not able to observe any relationship between the selectivity and the structure of the host molecules in an active transport system using ionophores 1-3 10). (Table 1)... 

Okahara, M., and Nakatsuji, Y. Active Transport of Ions Using Synthetic Ionophores Derived from Cyclic and Noncyclic Polyoxyethylene Compounds. 128, 37-59 (1985). 

Many other cyclic and noncyclic organic carriers with remarkable ion selectivities have been used successfiilly as active hosts of various liquid membrane electrodes. These include the 14-crown-4-ether for lithium (30) 16-crown-5 derivatives for sodium bis-benzo-18-crown-6 ether for cesium the ionophore ETH 1001 [(R,R)-AA -bisd l-ethoxycarbonyl)undecyl-A,yVl-4,5-tctramcthyl-3,6-dioxaoctancdiamide] for calcium the natural macrocyclics nonactin and monensin for ammonia and sodium (31), respectively the ionophore ETH 1117 for magnesium calixarene derivatives for sodium (32) and macrocyclic thioethers for mercury and silver (33). 

Especially sensitive and selective potassium and some other ion-selective electrodes employ special complexing agents in their membranes, termed ionophores (discussed in detail on page 445). These substances, which often have cyclic structures, bind alkali metal ions and some other cations in complexes with widely varying stability constants. The membrane of an ion-selective electrode contains the salt of the determined cation with a hydrophobic anion (usually tetraphenylborate) and excess ionophore, so that the cation is mostly bound in the complex in the membrane. It can readily be demonstrated that the membrane potential obeys Eq. (6.3.3). In the presence of interferents, the selectivity coefficient is given approximately by the ratio of the stability constants of the complexes of the two ions with the ionophore. For the determination of potassium ions in the presence of interfering sodium ions, where the ionophore is the cyclic depsipeptide, valinomycin, the selectivity coefficient is Na+ 10"4, so that this electrode can be used to determine potassium ions in the presence of a 104-fold excess of sodium ions. 

A second group of ionophores are considered to promote the formation of cylindrical channels through the membrane. The cation diffuses through the channel from one membrane surface to the other. The known channel-forming ionophores (the open-chain peptide derivative, gramicidin A, is one example) are non-cyclic species and, as such, lie outside the scope of this discussion. 

The crowns as model carriers. Many studies involving crown ethers and related ligands have been performed which mimic the ion-transport behaviour of the natural antibiotic carriers (Lamb, Izatt Christensen, 1981). This is not surprising, since clearly the alkali metal chemistry of the cyclic antibiotic molecules parallels in many respects that of the crown ethers towards these metals. As discussed in Chapter 4, complexation of an ion such as sodium or potassium with a crown polyether results in an increase in its lipophilicity (and a concomitant increase in its solubility in non-polar organic solvents). However, even though a ring such as 18-crown-6 binds potassium selectively, this crown is expected to be a less effective ionophore for potassium than the natural systems since the two sides of the crown complex are not as well-protected from the hydro-phobic environment existing in the membrane. 

Macrocyclic compounds with ion-chelating properties occur naturally and often function as ionophores, translocating ions across biological membranes many of these compounds are small cyclic polypeptides. Some natural carboxylic polyethers are selective for Li+ and are, therefore, ionophores for Li+. Monensin, shown in Figure Id, is a natural ionophore for Na+ but it will also complex with Li+ and it has been shown to mediate the transport of Li+ across phospholipid bilayers [21]. It has been proposed that synthetic Li+-specific ionophores have a potential role as adjuvants in lithium therapy, the aim being to reduce the amount of... 

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