Interactions between Crown Ethers and Water,Methanol, Acetone,and Acetonitrile in Halogenated Solvents

The interactions between crown ethers and water, methanol, acetone, and acetonitrile molecules in halogenated solvents are studied by means of calorimetric measurements. The results reveal the formation of 1:1 complexes between crown ethers and water in chloroform. The hydrogen bonding and ion–dipole interactions are responsible for the complex formation between the water molecules and crown ethers. For a better understanding of the influence of chloroform upon the complexation between crown ethers and water, chloroform is replaced by dichloromethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, and carbon tetrachloride. Since the hydrogen bonds are responsible for the complex formation between crown ethers and water in the halogenated solvents, further investigations are performed with methanol, acetone and acetonitrile. The interactions, the ligand nature, the concentrations of polar solvents, and the nature of nonpolar solvents involved in complexation are analyzed and discussed.