A New Functional Bis(<i>m</i>-phenylene)-32-crown-10-Based Cryptand Host for Paraquats

The pseudorotaxane complex of the new hydroxymethyl cryptand 3 with N,N′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium bis(hexafluorophosphate), PQ(PF6)2, has an association constant of 2.0(±0.3) × 104 M−1. In the crystal structure of 3·PQ(PF6)2 one of the bonding elements appears to be an aromatic edge-to-face interaction of a paraquat β-proton with the hydroquinone moiety; this is the first time this interaction has been reported between a cryptand and paraquat.