H-CATION COMPLEXES - AN FT-IR STUDY( AND LI+ POLARIZABILITIES IN SOMELARIAT ETHER)

Three lariat ethers with hydroxymethyl side arms, its protonated compl exes with HAuCl4, as well as lithium salts of these compounds were stu died by FT-IR spectroscopy in acetonitrile solutions. The spectra of l ariat ethers gave no evidence of proton transfer observed from hydroxy l group to the cavity of the crown ether, whereas the spectra of the l ithium salts indicated a Li+ ion transfer from CH2-O-Li groups into th e crowns. These systems show large lithium polarizabilities due to the tunnelling of Li+ ions in circular multiminima Li+ potentials, whose minima are located between the O-atoms. In the spectra of 1.1 complexe s of lariat ethers 1-3 with HAuCl4, intense continua are observed, dem onstrating the presence of proton tunnels in circular multiminima pote ntials resulting in the Zundel's polarizability. (C) 1998 Elsevier Sci ence B.V.