Cascade chemistry in azacryptand cages: bridging carbonates and methylcarbonatesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: magnetic data. See http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/dt/b1/b110449g/

Abstract

The different tendencies of dinuclear azacryptates of the m-CH2C6H4CH2 and 2,5-furano-spaced hosts L1 and L2 to catalyse CO2 uptake-reactions within these sterically-protected host cavities are examined. Bridging methylcarbonates are generated catalytically upon exposure of methanol solutions of L1, but not L2, di-transition cation cryptates to atmospheric CO2. X-Ray crystallographic structures of homodinuclear μ-carbonato cryptates of both ligands and μ-methylcarbonato cryptates of L1 with later first transition series cations are reported. ESI-MS spectra show loss of H2CO3 from μ-carbonato cryptates in collision activation experiments.