Alkali Metals Dissolved in Optically Active Solvents

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00323a026

Alkali metals dissolve in amines and ethers to give visible and infrared absorption bands.The visible band is believed to be due to absorption by the alkali metal anion and the infrared band to absorption of light by the solvated electrons.The visible and circular dichroism spectra of sodium-potassium alloy dissolved in several optically active ethers and amines were examined.In all cases, no circular dichroism could be detected corresponding to the alkali anion transition.An excellent synthetic route for the formation of a variety of chiral polyethers and cyclic polyethers is described.The method uses the readily available, chiral ethyl (S)-(+)-lactate.