. Can. J. Chem. 64, 816 (1986). The crystal structures of the 1 :2 host:guest complexes of dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (isomer B) with potassium phenoxide and dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (isomer A) with sodium phenoxide have been determined. The potassium phenoxide complex crystallizes in space group PI with a = 10.023(2), b = 11.238(2), c = 7.546(2) A, cx = 95.73(2), P = 103.04(2), y = 92.03(2)", and Z = 1. The sodiumphenoxide complex crystallizes in space group P2,/n with a = 19.185(12), b = 13.266(5), c = 13.038(5) A, P = 96.55(4)", and Z = 4. Both structures were solved by direct methods and refined by full matrix least-squares calculations to a residual, R , of 0.035. The host conformation as well as the metal cation coordination differ considerably in the two structures. In the potassium phenoxide complex, the two cations are related by symmetry and have, consequently, the same chemical environment. Each potassium is located approximately halfway between the plane formed by the crown ether oxygens and the phenoxide anions and is coordinated to four of the crown oxygens and to two phenoxide oxygens. The oxygens of the crown are found to outline an elliptical cavity and to lie approximately in a plane. In the sodium phenoxide complex, the two sodiums have different crystallographic and chemical environments. One sodium is coordinated to the six hexaether oxygens, withdistances ranging from 2.36 to 2.84 A, and to one of the phenoxide oxygens. The other sodium is coordinated to only one of the crown oxygens and to three of the phenoxide oxygens. The hexaether adopts a highly irregular conformation. affinCes par la mtthode des moindres carrts (matrice entiere) jusqu'a des valeurs rCsiduelles de R de 0,035. La conformation de la molCcule hate ainsi que la coordination du cation mitallique different considtrablement dans les deux structures. Dans le complexe du phknolate de potassium, les deux cations sont relits par de la symttrie et ont donc des environnements chimiques semblables. Chaque potassium est situt approximativement a mi-chemin entre le plan form6 par les oxygknes de la couronne et celui des anions phtnolates et chacun est coordonnk a quatre oxygknes de la couronne et a deux oxygknes des phenolates. On a trouvC que les oxygknes de la couronne foment le contour d'une cavitt ellipsoidale et qu'ils se retrouvent approximativement dans un plan. Dans le complexe du phCnolate de sodium, les deux cations de sodium se trouvent dans des environnements cristallographiques ainsi que chimiques qui sont difftrents. Un des cations de sodium est coordonnC aux six oxygknes de l'tther, avec des distances variant de 2,36 a 2,84 A, et a l'un des oxygknes des phenolates. L'autre sodium est coordonnt a un seul des oxygknes de la couronne et a trois oxygtnes des phCnolates. La conformation de la couronne est hautement irrtguliere.[Traduit par la revue] Introduction .Of the crown ethers, 18-crown-6 is probably the most extensively characterized. Nuclear magnetic resonance (nrnr), infrared (ir), X-ray diffraction studies, as well ...