The complexation of the ammonium ion by 18-crown-6 in different solvents and by noncyclic ligands, crown ethers and cryptands in methanol

The complexation of the ammonium ion with the macrocyclic ligand 18-crown-6 was studied using calorimetric and potentiometric titrations in different solvents. In water and dimethyl sulphoxide the stability constants had the lowest values compared with all other solvents examined. No specific interactions between the ammonium ion and solvent molecules were observed. Crown ethers formed more stable complexes in methanol with the ammonium ion than diaza crown ethers. The most stable complexes were formed with cryptands. The highest values of the stability constants for the reaction with macrocyclic and macrobicyclic ligands were measured if the dimensions of the ammonium ion and of the cavities were nearly identical. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Limited.