Photoactive cryptands. Synthesis of the sodium cryptates of macrobicyclic ligands containing bipyridine and phenoanthroline groups

The NaBr cryptates of five macrobicyclic ligands containing bipyridine (bpy) and phenanthroline (phen) groups, i.e, of bpy.bpy.bpy] 1 bpy.bpy.phen] 2 phen.phen.-phen] 3 2.1.phen] 4 and 2.2.phen] 5 , have been prepared. 1, 2, 4 and 5 have been obtained in high yield by condensation of bis(bromomethyl)bipyridine 6 or -phenanthroline 9 with the corresponding macrocyclic diamines in presence of Na₂CO₃. Direct access to the NaBr complexes of th symmetrical cryptands 1 and 3 was achieved by a one-step macrobicyclisation procedure. The metal-ion complexes of ligands 1-5 have the attractive feature of combining the cation inclusion, nature of cryptates with the photoactivity of bipyridine and phenanthroline groups; they may thus be expected to posses a variety of interesting physical and chemical properties.