Molecular recognition of nucleotides by means of ionic interaction in hydrophobic media.

Adenosine phosphates, AMP, ADP and ATP were found to be recognized and extracted from aqueous to an organic phase by the newly prepared lipophilic diammonium salt, N,N'-distearyldiammonium dichloride of 1,4-diazabicyclo [2.2.2] octane 1. ADP and ATP were specifically bound by 1 under the condition of no appreciable binding of AMP. The conventional phase transfer reagent, trioctylmethylammonium chloride 2 was far less effective and lacked selectivity fort the binding of adenosine phosphates. This diammonium salt was used as a specific carrier of ADP in the passive transport through a liquid membrane. A high selectivity was observed in the transport rate of ADP relative to that of AMP.