Synthesis and electrochemical switching of a dianthraquinone cryptand and related anthraquinone-diazacrown ether oligomers

Bis(diazacrown ether)-bisanthraquinones such as the cryptand represented in , and related anthraquinone-diazacrown ether oligomers like or have been prepared and their potential for electrochemically-switched enhanced ion binding ability were evaluated. The presence of two or more quinone units close to the complexation site which act cooperatively in cation binding allows enhanced values for cation complexation. Thus, in compound a binding enhancement ratio K2/K1 of 6×106 for sodium cation has been found upon electrochemical reduction.