By using cyclic polyethers of the crown and cryptate classes to complex the alkali cations, alkali metals were dissolved in secondary amines and in straight and branched chain ethers. In the absence of the complexing polyether, the metals are insoluble in these solvents. Pronounced solubility enhancement occurred in primary mono-and diamines, tetrahydrofuran, and diethers in which the metals are only very slightly soluble without the complexing agent. The optical spectra of Na-, K~, and, in most cases, e",0iv were measured for solutions in ethylamine, diethylamine, di-ra-propylamine, 1,2-propanediamine, hexamethylphosphoric triamide, diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, dimethoxyethane, and diglyme. In most cases the peak positions were measured as functions of temperature. For each of the three species the wave number of maximum absorbance decreased linearly with an increase in temperature. Linear correlations were found for the changes in the peak positions of e-»0iv, Na-, and Kwith solvent at a given temperature. The spectra of Naand Kobey the criterion for a charge transfer to solvent (ctts) transition that the position of the peak be a linear function of the temperature coefficient. However, no satisfactory correlation between the peak positions of Naand K~and solvent properties has been found. The spectrum of e-,0iT has now been determined by metal solution studies, as well as by flash photolysis and pulse radiolysis techniques, for the solvents ammonia, ethylenediamine, diethylamine, diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, dimethoxyethane, and diglyme. The agreement between the peak positions in all cases is good. However, in some cases the band is substantially broader in metal solutions than in those studied by radiolysis.
