Crystal structure of 1:1 Complexes between urea and two crown ether derivatives of phthalic acid, 2,3,5,6,8,9,11,12,14,15-decahydrobenzo[1,4,7,10,13,16]hexaoxacyclo-octadecin-18,19-dicarboxylic acid (i) and 2,3,5,6,8,9,11,12-octahydro-benzo[1,4,7,10,13]pentaoxacyclopentadecin-15,16-dicarboxylic acid (II)

The crystal structures of the titlke compounds have been determined by X-ray diffraction. Urea, I crystallizes in the triclinic PI space group with cell dimensions a = 8.336(2), b = 11.009(2), c = 13.313(2) A, α = 105.55(3), β = 103.62(3), γ = 104.63(3)° and Z = 2 final R value 0.072 for 2105 observations. Urea, II crystallizes in the orthorhombic P212121 space group with cell dimensions a = 8.750(2), b = 10.844(3) and c = 21.215(3) A and Z = 4, final R value 0.083 for 599 observations. All the hydrogen atoms were located in the complex urea, I; urea molecules form hydrogen bonded dimers about centers of symmetry, these dimers are sandwiched between macrocyclic rings forming one simple and one bifurcated hydrogen bond from the “endo” hydrogen atoms to the ether oxygen atoms. These units are held by hydrogen bonding between the urea molecules and carboxylic acids in two other units; these hydrogen bonds are cyclic involving eight atoms -(N-H(exo)…O(keto)-C-O-H…O(urea)-C)-. Only one carboxylic acid group per molecule takes part in these hydrogen bonds, the other forms a short, 2.490(7) A, internal bond to the acceptor keto oxygen atom. N(H)…O bonds range from 2.930(7) to 3.206(7) A, O(H)…O is 2.475(6) A. In the complex urea, II each urea is hydrogen bonded to three different host molecules and vice versa; the urea “endo” hydrogen atoms bond to the ether oxygen atoms, while both “exo” hydrogen atoms take part in cyclic hydrogen bonds to carboxylic acids. There is not internal hydrogen bond. N(H)…O bonds range from 2.83 to 3.26(2) A and the O-…O bonds are 2.55 and 2.56(2) A.