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Crown ethers are specialized cyclic molecules composed of repeating ether units, forming a ring structure that resembles a crown. These compounds, first synthesized by Charles J. Pedersen in 1967, are known for their ability to selectively bind metal cations based on their size, fitting into the central cavity of the "crown". For example, 18-crown-6 specifically complexes potassium ions (K+), while 15-crown-5 binds sodium ions (Na+). This size-selective complexation has led to the development of supramolecular chemistry.123

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