Preparation of Graphite Intercalation Compounds Containing Crown Ethers.

Crown ethers are well established as cointercalates in many layered hosts, but there are no reports of crown ethers incorporated into graphite. Here, we describe the preparation of the first graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) containing crown ethers. These GICs are obtained either by reductive intercalation of an alkali metal-amine complex followed by cointercalate exchange or by the direct reaction of graphite with a crown ether, alkali metal, and an electrocatalyst. Structural and compositional characterization of these new GICs using powder X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, and GC/MS indicates the formation of well-ordered, stage-1 bilayer galleries.