Potassium Salt of a Synthetic Carboxylic Ionophore

Abstract

The potassium salt of an w-hydroxycarboxylic acid with five ethereal O atoms, dipotassium bis(2-{[2-(2-{2-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)phenoxy] ethoxy } phenoxy)ethoxy]-methyl}benzoate) tetrahydrate, 2K+.2C26H2708-.4H20, forms a dimeric structure with twofold symmetry, containing two polyether chains and water molecules. The water molecule lying on the twofold axis forms a bridge between the two polyether complexes by coordination to two K + ions. The distance between the K + ions is 4.231 (3)A. Each polyether chain wraps around one cation, taking an 'S'-like conformation. The K + ion is ninefold coordinated by six ethereal O atoms, including one from another ether chain of the dimer, one hydroxyl