Transport metal complexes

Organic semiconductors are becoming increasingly important in the fabrication of electronic devices. For electron transport, metal complex pigments, such as hexa-deca-fluoro copper phthalocyanine (76), are showing potential.79... 

Downward percolating water transports metal complexes (eluvation)... 

Crown ethers may also be used to functionalize salicylideneimine complexes.1179 The crown ether-functionalized tetra-t-butyl-salicylideneimines are useful in studies on the selective com-plexation and transport of cations (e.g., Na+ and K+). 4,5-Bis(3,5-di-/-butylsalicylideneimino) benzo-18-crown-6 coordinates Ni11 via the Schiff base N202 donor system and K+ or Cs+ at the crown site.1180 These Ni-alkali metal complexes are able to transport amino acids from acidic aqueous solution to pure water. 

The cyclohexane-containing system (203) was also prepared in an attempt to obtain metal complexes with clam type geometries (Owen, 1983). As for the previous system, it was considered that such complexes might show enhanced shielding of the cation, from both the solvent and the counter ion present, but still allow the bound metal to be readily released on demand. As is evident from our earlier discussion, both these are desirable properties for metal-ion transport systems. 

There are two general classes of naturally-occurring antibiotics which influence the transport of alkali metal cations through natural and artificial membranes. The first category contains neutral macrocyclic species which usually bind potassium selectively over sodium. The second (non-cyclic) group contains monobasic acid functions which help render the alkaline metal complexes insoluble in water but soluble in non-polar solvents (Lauger, 1972 Painter Pressman, 1982). The present discussion will be restricted to (cyclic) examples from the first class. 

Metal complexes of the porphyrins have been studied for many years. Such attention is not surprising, since particular derivatives play a central role in photosynthesis, dioxygen transport and storage as well as other fundamental processes such as electron transfer (Smith, 1975 Dolphin, 1978-9). Indeed, there are few compounds found in nature which can compare with the diversity of biochemical functions exhibited by the porphyrins. 

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