Study of conformation of cryptahemispherands by two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy

Two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy (NOESY, COSY-DQF) has been used in a study of nitrogen-containing cryptahemispherands and their complexes with alkali metals. On the basis of experimentally established interproton distances, the preferred conformations of these molecules have been established. It has been shown that the important features of structure determining the molecular conformation are (a) the orientation of the N-CH2(Ar) bond relative to the plane of the crown ether and (b) the length of the methylene bridge (spacer). The spatial and torsional angles have been determined. It has been established that as the length of the bridge is increased, the structure of these molecules approaches a betaine structure, with mutually parallel positions of the phenyl rings. Upon complexation, their orientation changes to mutually perpendicular, and this leads to enlargement of the inner cavity of the molecule and a corresponding rearrangement of its dimensions toward the ionic radius of the alkali metal.