The third general means of synthesizing appropriately-substituted crown ethers consists of reaction of an excess of an aniline derivative Rp Rq Rr Rs Rt phenyl-NH2 with a reagent L--CH2 CH2 --(OCH2 CH2)n --L where n=1-4 and L is a group such as Cl, Br, I or a sulfonate ester that is readily replaced by reaction with an aniline to yield an alkylated aniline intermediate Rp Rq Rr Rs Rt phenyl-NH-(CH