Long tailed cage amines: Synthesis, metal complexation, and structure

Abstract

The generation of amphiphiles derived from macrobicyclic hexamines of the “sarcophagine” class can be prepared through efficient and selective reactions involving the reductive alkylation, using long-chain aldehydes, of amino-functionalised sarcophagines when bound to Cu(II) or Mg(II). The Mg(II) pathway is particularly convenient for the ultimate isolation of the free ligands, which can then be used to form metalloamphiphiles with a variety of metal ions. Structural studies have been made of one of the free (protonated) ligands and some of their complexes.