Photoactive Cryptands Synthesis of the Sodium Cryptates of Macrobicyclic Ligands Containing Bipyridine and Phenanthroline Groups

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/hlca.19840670833

The NaBr cryptates of five macrobicyclic ligands containing bipyridine (bpy) and phenanthroline (phen) groups, i.e. of 1 2 3 <2.1.phen> 4 and <2.2.phen> 5, have been prepared. 1, 2, 4 and 5 have been obtained in high yield by condensation of bis(bromomethyl)bipyridine 6 or -phenanthroline 9 with the corresponding macrocyclic diamines in presence of Na2CO3.Direct access to the NaBr complexes of the symmetrical cryptands 1 and 3 was achieved by a one-step macrobicyclisation procedure.The metal-ion complexes of ligands 1-5 have the attractive feature of combining the cation inclusion nature of cryptates with the photoactivity of bipyridine and phenanthroline groups; they may thus be expected to possess a variety of interesting physical and chemical properties.