Synthesis and crystal structure of aqua(dibenzo-18-crown-6)potassium (dibenzo-18-crown-6)(perchlorato-O)potassium perchlorate

A new compound, aqua(dibenzo-18-crown-6)potassium (dibenzo-18-crown-6)(perchlorato-O)potassium perchlorate ([K(DB18C6)(H₂O)]⁺ · [K(ClO₄)(DB18C6)] · ClO ₄ ^? ; compound I) is synthesized and studied by X-ray crystallography. The crystals are triclinic: a = 9.050 Å, b = 9.848 Å, c = 26.484 Å, α = 82.87°, β = 84.16°, γ = 77.93°, Z = 2, space group P $bar 1$ . The structure is solved by a direct method and refined by the full-matrix least-squares method in the anisotropic approximation to R = 0.058 for 5960 independent reflections (CAD4 diffractometer, λMoK _α radiation). A complex cation [K(DB18C6)(H₂O)]⁺ and a complex molecule [K(ClO₄)(DB18C6)] are of the host-guest type; they are linked into a dimer through two K⁺ → π(C) bonds formed by one of the two K⁺ cations with two C atoms of the benzene ring of the DB18C6 ligand from the adjacent complex. Both DB18C6 ligands in I have a butterfly conformation with approximate symmetry C _2v .