Macrocycles prepared from lithocholic acid, piperazine and isomeric pyridine dicarboxylic acids and their selective affinities towards sodium and potassium

Two novel macrocycles prepared from lithocholic acid, piperazine and pyridine dicarboxylic acids (2,6- and 3,5-isomers), have been characterized by 13C NMR and ESI–MS techniques. In case of the pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate derivative, the molecular formula of the cycle was C59H87O6N3 (I), while the pyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate derivative (II) was a trimeric structure by molecular mass when compared with I. Furthermore, cycle I showed a special affinity towards potassium cation, while II possessed significant proton and sodium cation recognition properties.