Lower Rim Substituted tert-Butyl calix[4]arene (part VII): Ionophoric Properties of Calix[4]arene-crown-6 Derivatives in Plasticized PVC-Membrane Electrodes and in Solution

The synthesis and characterization of p-tert-butylcalix4]arene-crown-6 derivatives (compounds 2–9) are presented. Their ability to complex alkali, alkaline earth and some “softer” cations was investigated by using these compounds as ionophores in ion-selective membrane electrodes and determining the potentiometric selectivity coefficients and the complex stability constants in the membrane. The selectivities of these compounds depend on the size and nature of the substituents on the distal phenolic oxygens. The complexing properties of the two cone and partial cone conformers of compound 2 in the PVC membrane were compared with those in acetonitrile solution studied by UV absorption spectrophotometry and with alkali metal picrate liquid–liquid extraction.This revised version was published online in July 2005 with a corrected issue number.