Complexation-mediated crystallization. Crystallization of sodium acetate trihydrate needles from cyclohexane solution

The phenomenon of complexation-mediated crystallization is introduced and proposed as a new means for the preparation of novel forms of materials. Attempted crystallization of complexes of salts with crown ethers often results in the precipitation of the uncomplexed salt rather than the complex. In this study, a solution of the 15-crown-5 complex of sodium acetate in cyclohexane precipitated uncomplexed sodium acetate trihydrate as single crystals. The crystal morphology (long needles) of this crystalline sodium acetate stands in sharp contrast to the hexagonal plates known to form from aqueous solution. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that sodium acetate as crystallized from cyclohexane solution adopted a crystal lattice identical to that in sodium acetate crystallized from aqueous solution. Possible origins of the change in crystal morphology are discussed.