The preparation and properties of neutral diamide ionophores for group IIa metal cations

The preparation of a series of neutral ligands featuring ether and N-methyl-N-carbethoxypentylamide groups is described. These ligands as well as related ones bearing other diamide groups are shown to selectively chelate Group IIA cations by picrate extraction from water to methylene chloride. The changes in UV absorption of aromatic rings and amide groups in the ligands upon titration with metal salts in methanol allow the estimation of the stoichiometry of complexation and the ordering of cation binding. The observed selectivity sequences of cation extraction and binding are briefly discussed. Preliminary proton and ¹³C NMR studies on the effect of addition of Group IIA cation salts to several of the ligands in methanol suggest that most of the complexation occurs at the central ether and amide groups. ¹³C NMR T₁ changes by the Inversion Recovery Fourier Transform method are in agreement with the cation-induced shift data.