The first crystal structure of a bis(crown ether) compound that forms an intramolecular sandwich complex with rubidium picrate

3-Nitro-2,6-bis(4'-benzo-15-crown-5)aminopyridine and its rubidium picrate complex were synthesized, and the first known example of a bis(crown ether) rubidium picrate intramolecular sandwich complex was obtained. The structure is confirmed by solid state studies: C39H44N7O19Rb·CH3OH·H2O, triclinic, P1. a = 11.481(4), b = 14.519(4), c = 15.960(6) Å, α = 63.28(3), β = 73.75(3), γ = 80.66(3)°, Dc = 1.53 g/cm3, Z = 2, and R = 0.091 for the 2350 observed reflections. The rubidium cation is intramolecularly sandwiched by ten oxygen atoms. The Rb-O bond lengths range from 2.849(12) Å to 3.02(2) Å. The picrate anion is linked by ionic interactions to the large cation.