Spectroscopic Study of Some Alkali and Alkaline Earth Complexes with Benzo Crown Ethers in Ethanol Solution

The interaction between Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ ions and benzo crown ethers B15C5, DB18C6, DB21C7, DB24C8 and DB30C10 in ethanol solution has been studied spectrophotometrically at 25°C. The formation constants for 1:1 complexes were determined by computer fitting of the resulting UV-absorbance-mole ratio data. In the case of all crown ethers used, K⁺ ion was found to form the most stable complexes. The observed selectivities of different benzo crowns for the cations used are discussed in terms of the cavity-cation size ratio, number of the donating oxygens participating in the cation binding, conformations of the free and complexed ligands and ionic solvation.