Transport of alkali and alkaline earth cations by a crown ether-alkylphosphoric acid system

Abstract

Competitive transport of alkali and alkaline earth cations has been carried out by using a mixed carrier system composed of dibenzo-14-crown-4 and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid. In the absence of crown ether, bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid transported alkaline earth cations with high selectivity. The combination of dibenzo-14-crown-4 and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid showed a synergistic enhancement in lithium transport, and the enhancement effect was not apparent in transport of other cations. On the other hand, the mixed carrier systems consisting of dibenzo-14-crown-4 and dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, and of dibenzo-14-crown-4 and 1-bromohexadecanoic acid exhibited the enhancement effects both in lithium transport and in sodium transport. The formation of the synergistic complex was analyzed by using fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.     

Highly Selective Lithium Transport through Crown Ether Pillared Angstrom Channels

Biological ion channels use the synergistic effects of various strategies to realize highly selective ion sieving. For example, potassium channels use functional groups and angstrom-sized pores to discriminate rival ions and enrich target ions. Inspired by this, we constructed a layered crystal pillared by crown ether that incorporates these strategies to realize high Li⁺ selectivity. The pillared channels and crown ether have an angstrom-scale size. The crown ether specifically allows the low-barrier transport of Li⁺. The channels attract and enrich Li⁺ ions by up to orders of magnitude. As a result, our material sieves Li⁺ out of various common ions such as Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and Al³⁺. Moreover, by spontaneously enriching Li⁺ ions, it realizes an effective Li⁺/Na⁺ selectivity of 1422 in artificial seawater where the Li⁺ concentration is merely 25 μM. We expect this work to spark technologies for the extraction of lithium and other dilute metal ions.     

Computational and NMR Studies on the Complexation of Lithium Ion to 8-Crown-4

Lithium ion selective crown ethers have been the subject of much research for a multitude of applications. Current research is aimed at structurally rigidifying crown ethers, as restructuring of the crown ether ring upon ion binding is energetically unfavorable. In this work, the lithium ion binding ability of the relatively rigid 8-crown-4 was investigated both computationally by density functional theory calculations and experimentally by ¹H and ⁷Li NMR spectroscopy. Although both computational and experimental results showed 8-crown-4 to bind lithium ion, this binding was found to be weak compared to larger crown ethers. The computational analysis revealed that the complexation is driven by enthalpy rather than entropy, illustrating that rigidity is only of nominal importance. To elucidate the origin of the favorable interaction of lithium ion with crown ethers, activation strain analyses and energy decomposition analyses were performed pointing to the favorable interaction being mainly electrostatic in nature. 8-crown-4 presents the smallest crown ether reported to date capable of binding lithium ion, possessing two distinct conformations from which it is able to do so.     

Formulation of Blended‐Lithium‐Salt Electrolytes for Lithium Batteries

Blended‐salt electrolytes showing synergistic effects have been formulated by simply mixing several lithium salts in an electrolyte. In the burgeoning field of next‐generation lithium batteries, blended‐salt electrolytes have enabled great progress to be made. In this Review, the development of such blended‐salt electrolytes is examined in detail. The reasons for formulating blended‐salt electrolytes for lithium batteries include improvement of thermal stability (safety), inhibition of aluminum‐foil corrosion of the cathode current collector, enhancement of performance over a wide temperature range (or at a high or low temperature), formation of favorable interfacial layers on both electrodes, protection of the lithium metal anode, and attainment of high ionic conductivity. Herein, we highlight key scientific issues related to the formulation of blended‐salt electrolytes for lithium batteries.     

A highly selective bicyclic fluoroionophore for the detection of lithium ions

The macrobicyclic molecule, 21-(9-anthrylmethyl)-4,17,13,16-tetraoxa-1,10,21-triazabicyclo [8.8.5]tricosane-19,23-dione, I, was designed, synthesized and characterized as a fluoroionophore for the selective, optical detection of lithium ions. Compound I is based on a bridged diazacrown structure, which provides a semirigid binding framework. Binding takes place by electrostatic interactions between the oxygen atoms of the crown and the cation and is transduced to fluorescence emission from an attached anthracene fluorophore. In a 75:25 dichloromethane/tetrahydrofuran solvent mixture, I acts as an intramolecular electron transfer "off-on" fluorescence switch, exhibiting a greater than 190-fold enhancement in fluorescence emission intensity in the presence of lithium ions. The relative selectivity of I for lithium ions over sodium, potassium and ammonium ions was found to be log K(Li+,Na+) approximately -3.36, log K(Li+,K+) approximately -1.77 and log K(Li+,NH4+) approximately -2.78.     

基于密度泛函理论研究锂-冠醚复合物的结构和热力学参数

冠醚对碱金属离子具有高选择性,在锂元素的分离富集上有着广泛的应用。本文基于密度泛函理论（DFT）研究了冠醚环大小、取代基种类、配位原子种类和数量等因素对冠醚空间结构和热力学参数的影响。结果表明,苯并冠醚系列中的苯并-15-冠-5具有更好的配位能力,取代基、配位原子对冠醚的络合能力均有一定影响,因此可通过选择合适的冠醚环,引入供电子基团和含氮杂原子等方法来改善冠醚的分离富集能力。这对冠醚体系分离富集锂元素具有重要的指导意义。     

An Insoluble Benzoquinone‐Based Organic Cathode for Use in Rechargeable Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Application of organic electrode materials in rechargeable batteries has attracted great interest because such materials contain abundant carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen elements. However, organic electrodes are highly soluble in organic electrolytes. An organic electrode of 2,3,5,6‐tetraphthalimido‐1,4‐benzoquinone (TPB) is reported in which rigid groups coordinate to a molecular benzoquinone skeleton. The material is insoluble in aprotic electrolyte, and demonstrates a high capacity retention of 91.4 % (204 mA h g⁻¹) over 100 cycles at 0.2 C. The extended π‐conjugation of the material contributes to enhancement of the electrochemical performance (155 mA h g⁻¹ at 10 C). Moreover, density functional theory calculations suggest that favorable synergistic reactions between multiple carbonyl groups and lithium ions can enhance the initial lithium ion intercalation potential. The described approach may provide a novel entry to next‐generation organic electrode materials with relevance to lithium‐ion batteries.     

Cyclitol based metal complexing agents. Preference for the extraction of lithium by myo-inositol based crown-4-ethers depends on the relative orientation of crown ether oxygen atoms

myo-Inositol derived crown-4-ethers in which two of the oxygen atoms in the crown ether moiety have different relative orientations were prepared. Metal picrate binding studies revealed that the crown ether having 1,3-diaxial orientation shows the highest selectivity for binding to lithium although the crown ether having 1,2-diequatorial orientation exhibited the highest binding constant for lithium picrate. These results suggest that relative binding affinity of metal ions to crown ethers can be tuned by varying the relative orientation of crown ether oxygen atoms. The relevance of these results to the previously observed regioselectivity during the O-substitution of myo-inositol orthoesters is discussed.     

Complexing properties of 3′,5′‐disubstituted‐4′‐hydroxybenzyl armed monoaza‐12‐crown‐4 and armed monoaza‐15‐crown‐5 ethers and crystal structures of the alkali metal ion complexes

A series of monoaza‐15‐crown‐5 ethers (2b‐2h) having 4′‐hydroxy‐3′,5′‐disubstituted benzyl groups have been prepared by the Mannich reaction of 2,6‐disubstituted phenols with the corresponding N‐methoxymethylmonoaza‐crown ethers. Competitive transport through a chloroform membrane by 12‐crown‐4 derivatives (lithium, potassium and cesium) and 15‐crown‐5 derivatives (sodium, potassium and cesium) were measured under basic‐source phase and acidic‐receiving phase conditions. All ligands transported size‐matched alkali‐metal cations. Ligands 1h and 2h with two fluorine atoms in the side arm gave higher metal ion transport rates than those of dimethyl‐ (1a and 2a), diisopropyl‐ (1b and 2b), and butylmethyl‐ (1d and 2d) derivatives. X‐ray crystal structures of six alkali metal complexes with monoaza‐12‐crown‐4‐derivatives ( 1b‐LiSCN, 1b‐KSCN, 1c‐NaSCN, 1d‐LiSCN, 1f‐RbSCN and 1h‐LiSCN ) and three alkali metal complexes with 15‐crown‐5 derivatives ( 2b‐KSCN, 2c‐KSCN , and 2e‐KSCN ) along with crystal structures of some new ligands (1b, 1c, 1d, 1f, and 2c) are also reported. These X‐ray analyses indicate that the crystal structures of the alkali metal ion complexes of these new armed‐crown ethers changed depending on the substituents at the 3′‐ and 5′‐positions of the appended hydroxybenzyl arms.     

Distribution of benzo-substituted crown-ethers between chloroform and water: effects of macrocycle ring size and lithium chloride

Small size benzo-substituted crown ethers are attractive complexing agents for lithium isotope separation by solvent extraction. Low transfer of the crown ethers from solvent to water is a key point for applicability of the extractants. In the present study, 9- and 12-membered crown ethers were synthesized, and their distribution between chloroform and water was studied. Polyether ring size, benzene substituents and addition of LiCl to water were found to effect on distribution constants. Low losses of the macrocycles were observed at single-stage contact with aqueous phase. However, these losses should be taken into account in the design of multistage processes for the preparation of highly enriched lithium isotopes.     

氧化石墨烯浓度对还原氧化石墨烯/ZnS电化学性能的影响

以氧化石墨烯(GO)、乙酸锌(Zn(CH₃COO)₂)和硫脲为原料,采用水热法成功制备了还原氧化石墨烯/ZnS(rGO/ZnS)复合材料,并将该材料用作锂离子电池负极。高导电性的 rGO可以为锂离子和电子的传输提供有效的路径,ZnS可以提供较高的理论比容量。rGO/ZnS复合材料在rGO与纳米级高度分散的类球形ZnS颗粒协同作用下展现了较好的嵌锂容量和循环性能。当GO质量浓度为2 mg·mL^-1时制备的rGO/ZnS复合材料的倍率性能最好,循环稳定性最佳。     

Selective lithium ion extraction with chromogenic monoaza crown ethers

Two chromogenic monoaza crown ethers were synthesized and investigated for their lithium extraction capabilities. The chromogenic monoaza 14-crown-4 compound exhibited the best selectivity for lithium over sodium; ca. 2800, with a detection limit of 0.08 ppm.     

Spectrophotometric determination of lithium ion with the chromogenic crown ether, 2″,4″-dinitro-6″-trifluoromethylphenyl-4′-aminobenzo-14-crown-4

A spectrophotometric method of determining alkali metal ions with a chromogenice crown ether reagent was found to be more selective and sensitive than an ion-pairing method based on the same size of crown ether cavity. It is shown that in the ion-pairing method, the sensitivity toward lithium ion was 5.685 × 10^?4 absorbance/mg l^?1, with sodium interfering at 300 mg l^?1. The chromogenic crown ether, 2″,4″-dinitro-6″-trifluoromeethylphenyl-4′-aminobenzo-14-crown-4, was much superior to benzo-14-crown-4. The sensitivity of the chromogenic crown ether was 1.69 × 10^?3 absorbance/mg l^?1. This represents a three-fold increase in sensitivity and less reagent is needed (2 × 10^?4 M for the chromogenic method versus 1.4 × 10^?3 M for ion-pairing). Interference from sodium decreased to 3000 mg l^?1. The reagent was used to determine lithium ion in treated blood serum samples in both a batch and flow injection method and results were compared with data obtained with atomic absorption; excellent agreement was obtained in all cases.     

Effect of crown ethers on the solvent extraction and separation of lanthanide(III) ions with 4-benzoyl-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one

Synergistic solvent extraction of 14 lanthanides with mixtures of 4-benzoyl-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one (HP) and the crown ethers (S), 18-crown-6, benzo-18-crown-6 or dibenzo-18-crown-6 from an aqueous chloride medium with the constant ionic strength of 0.1 mol dm⁻³ was investigated using benzene as a diluent. The composition of the species extracted was determined as LnP3 · S. The addition of a crown ether to the chelating extractant produced rather significant synergistic effects. On basis of experimental data, values of equilibrium constants, synergistic coefficients, and separation factors were calculated.     

冠醚对生物化学影响的研究(Ⅲ)——五种冠醚化合物对小麦幼苗根系吸收与运转42K、24Na、45Ca离子的影响

本文用放射性同位素⁴²K、²⁴Na、⁴⁵Ca作示踪,配以P^K、P^Na离子选择电极测量溶液的电导率和电位变化。研究五种冠醚化合物对南大八号小麦幼苗根系吸收与运转无机离子(K⁺、Na⁺、Ca^艹)的作用。实验结果表明,五种冠醚化合物对小麦幼苗根系具有不同程度的促进吸收和加速运转K⁺、Na⁺、Ca^艹的作用,其中以1号冠醚化合物作用最为明显,在K⁺、Na⁺、Ca⁺艹>中对K⁺的作用最为突出。     

Thermocontrolling ion permeation through binary component membrane composed of crown ether liquid crystal/PVC

In view of the nature of orderness in structure and the mesomorphism in property of liquid crystal, the function of which is further exploited by integrating it with the feature of crown ether. The monoarmed crown ether liquid crystals are successfully applied to the imitation of biomembrane transport. Binary component membrane composed of crown ether liquid crystal and PVC was first developed. Such a novel model of biomimetic membrane is capable of imitating ingeniously the thermocontrolling transport of biomembrane, thus the essential function of liquid crystal in membane transport is more fully exploited. It was suggested, consequently, that the molecules of the crown ether liquid crystal could assemble themselves to form ionic channels, as they exist in mesophase.Of still more significance is that the thermocontrolling transport of ions through the membrane is found to be operative selectively and the permeation of ion is under the direct influence of the thermal turmoil of the crown ether liquid cr     

Synthesis of N-octylmonoaza-15-crown-5 having a dodecylphosphoric acid functional group and the binding ability toward alkali metal cations

A new N-octylmonoaza-15-crown-5 having an alkylphosphoric acid functional group ( 3c ) was synthesized. It was revealed that 3c selectively transported sodium ion under neutral source phase/acidic receiving phase condition, and selectively transported lithium ion under basic source phase/acidic receiving phase condition. From an ir and ¹³C nmr spectral study of the lithium hydroxide and sodium thiocyanate complexes of 3c , it is suggested that 3c does not incorporate cations into the three dimensional cavity using the crown ring and the phosphoric acid site, but that the crown and the phosphoric acid sites act on the cations independently; only the crown ether site of 3c significantly coordinates to the cations under neutral source phase condition, and the phosphate anion is mainly employed under basic conditions.     

冠醚配合物的研究 XI: 若干苯并-18-冠-6甲基衍生物液膜传输碱金属离子

本文研究了2,3-苯并-11-甲基-18-冠-6,2,3-苯并-8,15-二甲基-18-冠-6和2,3-苯并-8, 11, 15-三甲基-18-冠-6的氯仿液膜对Na^+, K^+, Rb^+的传输速率。结果指出,传输速率随膜相冠醚浓度增是加而增加, 两者成线性关系; 当冠醚的醚环上甲基数增加则传输速率减小; 对同一冠醚, 不同金属离子的传输速率与相应配合物稳定常数的大小顺序有一致关系; 冠醚传输金属离子时, 阴离子一起迁移, 阴离子水合能力越强则传输能力越小; 传输速率与搅拌速度成线性关系。     

Anchored Mediator Enabling Shuttle‐Free Redox Mediation in Lithium‐Oxygen Batteries

Redox mediators (RMs) are considered an effective countermeasure to reduce the large polarization in lithium‐oxygen batteries. Nevertheless, achieving sufficient enhancement of the cyclability is limited by the trade‐offs of freely mobile RMs, which are beneficial for charge transport but also trigger the shuttling phenomenon. Here, we successfully decoupled the charge‐carrying redox property of RMs and shuttling phenomenon by anchoring the RMs in polymer form, where physical RM migration was replaced by charge transfer along polymer chains. Using PTMA (poly(2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy‐4‐yl methacrylate)) as a polymer model system based on the well‐known RM tetramethylpiperidinyloxyl (TEMPO), it is demonstrated that PTMA can function as stationary RM, preserving the redox activity of TEMPO. The efficiency of RM‐mediated Li₂O₂ decomposition remains remarkably stable without the consumption of oxidized RMs or degradation of the lithium anode, resulting in an improved performance of the lithium‐oxygen cell.     

Nine-Electron Transfer of Binder Synergistic π-d Conjugated Coordination Polymers as High-Performance Lithium Storage Materials

To solve the problems such as the dissolution and the poor conductivity of organic small molecule electrode materials, we construct π-d conjugated coordination polymer Ni-DHBQ with multiple redox-active centers as lithium storage materials. It exhibits an ultra-high capacity of 9-electron transfers, while the π-d conjugation and the laminar structure inside the crystal ensure fast electron transport and lithium ion diffusion, resulting in excellent rate performance (505.6 mAh g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹ after 300 cycles). The interaction of Ni-DHBQ with the binder CMC synergistically inhibits its dissolution and anchors the Ni atoms, thus exhibiting excellent cycling stability (650.7 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1 A g⁻¹ after 100 cycles). This work provides insight into the mechanism of lithium storage in π-d conjugated coordination polymers and the synergistic effect of CMC, which will contribute to the molecular design and commercial application of organic electrode materials.