Used primarily as a high-performance crown ether analog in selective ion transport and sensing applications. Its unique macrocyclic structure with multiple oxygen donor sites enables strong and selective binding to alkali and alkaline earth metal ions, making it valuable in ion-selective electrodes and sensors. It is also employed in phase-transfer catalysis, facilitating reactions between reagents in different phases by complexing cations and enhancing anion reactivity. In research, it serves as a building block for supramolecular assemblies and molecular machines due to its rigid, cage-like framework. Additionally, it finds use in separation technologies for metal ion extraction and purification, especially in environmental and nuclear waste treatment.