Studies of lithium and sodium complexation by silicon podand solvents

The complex formation of lithium and sodium ions with silicon podand solvents: phenyl-tris(1,4-dioxapentyl) silane (PhSi23) and ethyl-tris(1,4-dioxapentyl) silane (EtSi23) has been studied by FTIR, ¹H-, ¹³C-, ⁷Li- and ²³Na NMR. The far FTIR spectra show that the Li⁺ cations fluctuate very fast whereas Na⁺ cations are still localised between the oxygen atoms of the oxaalkyl chains. The ⁷Li NMR spectra prove that one Li⁺ cation can be coordinated not only by one but also two silicon podand molecules. The concentration dependence of the molar conductivity of LiClO₄ in the podand solvents indicates charge transfer between ion clusters.