Spherical Recognition — Cryptates of Metal Cations

The simplest recognition process is that of spherical substrates these are either positively charged metal cations (alkali, alkaline-earth and lanthanide cations) or the negative halide anions (see Chapt. 3). 

Although some scattered examples of binding of alkali cations (AC) were known (see [2.13,2.14]) and earlier observations had suggested that polyethers interact with them [2.15], the coordination chemistry of alkali cations developed only in the last 30 years with the discovery of several types of more or less powerful and selective cyclic or acyclic ligands. Three main classes may be distinguished 1) natural macrocycles displaying antibiotic properties such as valinomycin or the enniatins [1.21-1.23] 2) synthetic macrocyclic polyethers, the crown ethers, and their numerous derivatives [1.24,1.25, 2.16, A.l, A.13, A.21], followed by the spherands [2.9, 2.10] 3) synthetic macropolycyclic ligands, the cryptands [1.26, 1.27, 2.17, A.l, A.13], followed by other types such as the cryptospherands [2.9, 2.10]. 

Numerous studies have been performed that are reported in many papers and summarized in reviews and books [A.l, A.13, A.21, A.22]. For instance, valinomycin 1 gives a strong and selective complex 2 in which a K+ ion is included 

Whereas macrocycles define a two-dimensional, circular hole, macrobicycles define a three-dimensional, spheroidal cavity, particularly well suited for binding the spherical alkali cations (AC) and alkaline-earth cations (AEC). 

Indeed, macrobicyclic ligands such as 7-9 form cryptates [Mn+ c cryptand], 10, by inclusion of a metal cation inside the molecule [1.26, 1.27, 2.17, 2.24-2.26]. The optimal cryptates of AC and AEC have stabilities several orders of magnitude higher than those of either the natural or synthetic macrocyclic ligands. They show pronounced selectivity as a function of the size complementarity between the cation 

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