Oligoether derivatives of 1-phenoxyanthraquinone: Synthesis,photochromism, and complex formation with metal cations

1-Phenoxyanthraquinone isomeric conjugates with tetraethylene glycol were prepared. Their photochromic properties and complex formation in solutions were quantitatively studied by spectrophotometry, quantum yields of the arylotropic photoisomerism and stability constants of complexes between para–ana-quinoid isomers and metal cations. The photochemical migration of a phenyl group considerably affects the complex stability thus providing the possibility to regard the synthesized compounds as photocontrolled ionophores. The structure of some complexes was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and quantum-chemical simulation.