University Chemistry ›› 2026, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (2): 232-237.doi: 10.12461/PKU.DXHX202501010

• Survey of Chemistry • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Application of Crown Ether-Based Artificial Ion Transporters

Jing Tan, Bo Zheng, Lingyan Gao   

  1. Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Natural Functional Molecule of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, China
  • Received:2025-01-06 Accepted:2025-02-24 Published:2025-12-27
  • Contact: Bo Zheng, Lingyan Gao E-mail:zhengbo@nwu.edu.cn;gaolingyan@nwu.edu.cn

Abstract: Crown ethers, a distinctive class of ether compounds characterized by their unique structural features, have garnered increasing recognition in the scientific community. Recent advancements have witnessed remarkable innovations in the application of crown ethers for constructing artificial transmembrane ion transport systems. The utilization of diverse crown ether structures and assembly motifs has significantly broadened the research landscape, encompassing the development of transmembrane artificial ion channels, seawater treatment, lithium extraction from salt lakes, and battery technologies. By integrating principles from supramolecular chemistry and biology, along with interdisciplinary approaches, these novel biomimetic artificial ion transporters, distinguished by their innovative structures and unique functionalities, are poised to make substantial contributions to the pharmaceutical and chemical industries.

Key words: Crown ether, Transmembrane transport, Selective separation, Alkali Metals