Chemistry of crown ethers. Part XXII. Synthesis and complexing properties of monophospha‐crown ethers

Abstract

Abstract The synthesis of phenyl‐ and tert ‐butyl‐phosphadibenzo‐18‐crown‐6 and phenylphosphadibenzo‐21‐crown‐7 is described. The complexation of alkali metal cations and rhodium(I) by these macrocycles and their phosphine oxides has been studied by NMR methods. The phosphorus crown ethers are all capable of solubilizing lithium cations into chloroform. The phosphine oxide macrocycles also solubilize sodium cations. It is remarkable that tert ‐butyl‐phosphadibenzo‐18‐crown‐6 complexes the sodium cation, whereas phenylphosphadibenzo‐18‐crown‐6, whose cavity is about the same size, does not. The formation of a bimetallic (Rh(I),Li + ) complex of phenylphosphadibenzo‐21‐crown‐7 is discussed.