Shuch properties of thease compounds as the capability of forming stable lipophilic complexes with metal cations and some organic compounds, and of transporting ionic reagents from the aqueous into organic phase open up promising prospects in the various areas of medicine, chemistry, technology and biology. One of the most fruitful among the vaiety of practical applications of crown ethers and cryptands has turned out to be their use analytical chemistry where they can serve as neutrai ligands.
Macrocyclic ligands are well known for their ability to bind metal cations.
Many publications have appeared in the recent years on the use of such compounds in chromatographic analysis as highly selective stationary phases.