New concept for the preparation of potassium sodides: the use of hexane as a non-polar solvent

NaK alloy in contact with 15-crown-5 hexane solution became potassium sodide K+(15-crown-5)2Na−. After the evaporation of hexane the crystalline solid product was analyzed by X-ray diffraction and the lattice parameters were calculated. The potassium sodide thus obtained could be easily dissolved in tetrahydrofuran. A deep blue solution containing sodium anions and complexed potassium cations was formed with a very low concentration of solvated electrons, i.e. of the order of 10−7 M. Potassium anions were not detected in this case. A new crystalline potassium sodide K+(DCH-24-crown-8)2Na− was obtained using NaK alloy and dicyclohexano-24-crown-8 hexane solution.