The synthesis and structural studies of a new Kemp’s triacid oxaalkyl ester and its complexes with Li+, Na+ and K+ cations

A new derivative of Kemp’s triacid (KTA) with 2-bromoethyl methyl ether (triester, KTEG1) and its complexes with monovalent cations (Li+, Na+ and K+) have been synthesized and studied by EI MS, multinuclear NMR, FT-IR as well as by the PM5 semiempirical methods. It has been demonstrated that KTEG1 forms stable complexes of 1:1 stoichiometry with the metal cations studied. The mass fragmentation pathways for triester and its complexes are proposed. The FT-IR spectra of the complexes show that in the coordination process no oxygen atoms of the carbonyl groups are involved. The FT-IR and NMR data taken together indicated that the coordination process is realized by the oxygen atoms from the oxaalkyl chains. The structures of the KTEG1 and its complexes with Li+, Na+ and K+ cations are visualized and discussed in detail.