Alkali Metal Cation Selectivity of [17]Ketonand in Methanol: Free Energy Perturbation and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Studies

摘要

Free energy perturbation and molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to investigate the relative binding affinities of [17] ketonand (1) toward alkali metal cations in methanol. The binding affinities of 1 toward the alkali metal cations were calculated to be in the order Li+ > Na+ > K+ > Rb+ > Cs+, whereas our recent theoretically predicted and experimentally observed binding affinities for [18]starand (2) were in the order K+ > Rb+ > Cs+ > Na+ > Li+. The extremely different affinities of 1 and 2 toward smaller cations, Li + and Na+ , were explained in terms of the differences in their ability to change the conformation to accommodate cations of different sizes. The carbonyl groups constituting the central cavity of 1 can reorganize to form a cavity with the optimal M+ -O distance, even for the smallest Li+, without imposing serious strain on 1. The highest affinity of 1 for Li+ was predominantly due to the highest Coulombic attraction between the smallest Li+ and the carbonyl oxygens of 1.