(+)-(18-crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid and its ytterbium(III) complex as chiral NMR discriminating agents

The compound (+)-(18-crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid (I) and its ytterbium(III) complex are evaluated as chiral NMR discriminating agents. The crown ether is a useful chiral discriminating agent for protonated amino acid esters, amines, and amino alcohols. The crown can also be used with neutral primary amines since amines are protonated through a neutralization reaction with a carboxylic acid moiety of the crown. Enantiodiscrimination with the crown is observed in methanol and acetonitrile. Addition of ytterbium(III) nitrate to crown-substrate mixtures causes upfield shifts in the NMR spectrum of the substrate and often enhances the enantiomeric discrimination. Evidence indicates that the ytterbium(III) bonds to the carboxylic acid moieties of the crown, but enhancements in enantiomeric discrimination result from either the different association constants of the enantiomers with the crown or diastereomeric nature of the resulting crown-substrate complexes. The ytterbium complex with the crown is suitable for use in methanol but precipitates in acetonitrile.