Studies on the structure and miscibility of mixed Langmuir-Blodgett films of a double-armed dibenzo-18-crown-6 ether with stearic acid

Reported here is the study on the structure of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of double-armed dibenzo-18-crown-6 contain biphenyl (DACE) which are newly synthesized and mixed with stearic acid (SA). In addition, the miscibility of the two compounds was also tested by the measurement of the surface pressure-area (pi-A) isotherms of DACE and DACE/SA with various proportions. It is noted that there is no phase segregation in the mixed monolayer film of DACE/SA. Upon calculation of the excess surface area, it is concluded that the SA molecule can enter into the crown ether ring, while an 18C6 ring can host a maximum of one SA molecule. The difference of spectroscopic properties of DACE in LB films and bulk solution has been investigated by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and Fourier-transfer infrared (FTIR) measurements. Molecules of DACE exist in the mixed LB films as monomers in contrast to those in the concentrated solution as aggregates. The hydrocarbon chains in DACE and DACE/SA LB films are tilted to the normal of the substrate surface, but perpendicular to the dipole moment of CO. Both CO bonds in the phenyl ethers and carboxylic ester of DACE, and the long axes of phenyl rings are aligned nearly perpendicular to the substrate surface. Infrared spectra of mixed LB films of DACE/SA present further evidence that the SA molecules enter into the crown ether rings of DACE.