Intramolecular Sandwich Complexation of Light Lanthanoid Nitrates with Bis(benzo-12-crown-4)s: Enhanced Selectivity for Eu

Spectrophotometric titrations performed in anhydrous acetonitrile at 25°C give the complex stability constants (log Ks) and the Gibbs free energy changes (-G° for the stoichiometric 1 : 1 intramolecular sandwich complexation of light lanthanoid (III) nitrates (La Gd) with the polymethylene-bridged bis(benzo-12-crown-4)s 1, the corresponding dioxo derivative 2 and its dihydroxy analogue 3. The complex stability sequence as a function of reciprocal ionic radius of lanthanoids showed similar profiles in stability constants (log Ks) and maximum stabilities were obtained at Eu3+ for the complexation of light lanthanoids with the three bis(benzo-12-crown-4)s 1–3. The cation binding abilities and relative selectivities for the trivalent lanthanoid ions of these structurally related bis(benzo-12-crown-4)s 1–3 are discussed according to the derivatization of the bridging.