STRUCTURE OF NAPHTHO-15-CROWN-5 AND ITS COMPLEX WITH POTASSIUM-IODIDE

The crystal structures of naphtho-15-crown-5 and its complex with pota ssium iodide of the composition [K(naphtho-15-crown-5)(2)]I have been determined by X-ray studies. Naphtho-15-crown-5 has molecular crystal structure and consists of discrete molecules located on distances equa l to the sum of van der Waals radii of atoms. In the molecule one of t he oxyethylene fragments is disordered, which may be ascribed to the p resence of hire conformers in the crystal in the 1:1 ratio. The second compound has ionic structure. The anion I- does not participate in th e direct interaction with the cation. The complex cation has a sandwic h like structure. The potassium cation is coordinated by ten oxygen at oms of two crown ether moieties and the K-O distances varied in the ra nge of 2.784-2.961 Angstrom. The intrinsic symmetry of the sandwich li ke part of the molecule is C-2. One of the free crown ether conformers of the molecular crystal is similar to that forming the sandwich like complex cation.