Relationship between extraction properties and transport through liquid membrane of amino acids by calixarene derivatives

Abstract

The relationship between the extraction ability of <i>p</i>-tert-butylcalix[n]arenes (n=6,8) upon some amino acid methylesters and their transport through chloroform liquid membrane in the presence of tropaeolin 00 ([4-(4'-anilinophenylazo) benzene sulphonic acid]) at <i>p</i>H<i> </i>= 5.0 has been investigated. Our results highlight that both the extractability and the transport of amino acid methylesters are essentially controlled by the structure of calixarene, the nature of amino acid, and the nature of the anion used as ion pair for cation-receptor complexes. Also the relationship between the extractability of these complexes and the structure of amino acids under study have been discussed.