Complexation of the cesium cation with nonactin: extraction and DFT study

From extraction experiments and γ-activity measurements, the extraction constant corresponding to the equilibrium Cs⁺(aq) + A^?(aq) + 1(nb) ? 1·Cs⁺(nb) + A^?(nb) taking place in the two-phase water–nitrobenzene system (A^? = picrate, 1 = nonactin; aq = aqueous phase, nb = nitrobenzene phase) was evaluated as log K _ex (1·Cs⁺,A^?) = 2.8 ± 0.1. Further, the stability constant of the 1·Cs⁺ complex in nitrobenzene saturated with water was calculated for a temperature of 25 °C: log β _nb (1·Cs⁺) = 4.7 ± 0.1. Finally, by using quantum–mechanical DFT calculations, the most probable structure of the resulting cationic complex species 1·Cs⁺ was derived.