Synthesis and crystal structure of dibenzo-18-crown-6 oxonium perchlorate

An ionized crystalline adduct of dibenzo-18-crown-6, perchloric acid, and water (H₃O)[DB 18K6](ClO₄) is synthesized and structurally studied by X-ray diffraction. The crystals are triclinic: a = 8.582 Å, b = 10.486 Å, c = 26.293 Å, α = 79.45°, β = 82.00°, γ = 79.36°, Z = 4, 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 = 0.098 for 5936 independent reflections (CAD4 automated diffractometer, λMoK _α radiation). The structure contains two independent DB18C6 molecules, two independent H₃O⁺ ions, and two independent ClO ₄ ^? ions. The H₃O⁺ ions each lie in the cavity of each of the two DB18C6 molecules and are retained there by three strong hydrogen bonds. Two DB18C6 molecules have close geometric parameters and a butterfly conformation with approximate symmetry C _2v . One of the two independent ClO ₄ ^? anions is disordered over two orientations.