Acid-base behavior of cryptand 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 21, 24-octaaza-bicycio[8, 8, 8] hexacosan-3, 8, 12, 17, 20, 25-hexone and complex formation

The bicyclic cryptand 1,4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 21, 24-octaaza-bigcyclo 8, 8, 8] hexacosan-3, 8, 12, 17, 20, 25-hexone (COBH) bearing diaminoethane groups along the eight-atom bridges was synthesized. The structure consists of discrete neutral macrobicyclic units; the two cycles share the two tertiary amine nitrogen atoms, which exhibit an endo-endo conformation. Three identical branches formed by 1, 2-diaminoethane link the two tertiary amine groups. The protonation reactions ofcryptand (COBH) and its complex formation with copper (Ⅱ) were investigated by potentiometry in water and in a DMSO/water (80: 20 in mass ratio) mixture as solvents. The cryptand acts as a bis-base through its two Nbridgehead and exhibits a strong cooperativity that favors the first protonation and makes the second one difficult (pK 5.0 ). An inward rotation of the amide groups to form hydrogen bonds accounts for this cooperativity. The interaction of COBH with copper (Ⅱ) leads to several binuclear complex proton contents.