Cyclic polyether Schiff base as molecular container for barbituric acid

A cyclic polyether Schiff base, N,N′-propylenebis[5,5′-oxo-bis(hexaethyleneoxy)salicylideneaminato] has been designed and prepared to investigate the strong binding capability to barbituric acid via noncovalent intermolecular interaction such as hydrogen bonding. The intermolecular binding characteristics between the cyclic polyether Schiff base and barbituric acid have been revealed by spectroscopic experiments. The 1:1 complex formation reaction between the cyclic polyether Schiff base and a barbituric acid has been confirmed in detail by 1H NMR spectroscopic titration.