Bridge-disubstituted calix[4]arenes obtained via a new preparative route. Synthesis and structural study

A series of calix[4]arenes bearing various substituents including alkyl, p-bromobenzyl, carboxy and allyl at opposite methylene bridges has been synthesized via successive metallation followed by nucleophilic substitution. In a first step, mono-lithiated calix[4]arenes react with terminal bromoalkanes to give 2-alkylated calix[4]arenes or with CO₂ the respective calixarene-2-carboxylic acid in good yields. A second lithiation step of the monosubstituted products with subsequent attachment of both polar and non-polar substituents yields several new diametrally bridge-disubstituted calix[4]arenes. 2D-NMR measurements establish the disubstituted calixarenes to predominantly adopt the 1,2-alternate conformation in solution. First examples of X-ray crystal structures of the new type of disubstituted calix[4]arenes are described featuring the calix[4]arene also in the rare 1,2-alternate conformation.     

Cation-dependent binding of zinc diethoxycarbonylcalix[4]arenebis(porphyrinate) triethylenediamine

Zinc calix[4]arene-bis(porphyrinate) with two ethoxycarbonyl substituents at the lower rim of the calix[4]arene moiety was synthesized. Its complexation properties toward the sodium cation and triethylenediamine were studied. The influence of the binding of the sodium cation by the calix[4]arene moiety on the complexation properties of the interporphyrin cavity toward triethylenediamine was revealed.     

Conformational isomerism of electroactive calix[4]arenes: influence of the electronic state in the flexibility of thiophene-containing calix[4]arene

The cone-to-paco conformational isomerism of 11,23-bis(thiophen-5-yl)-26,28-dimethoxycalix[4]arene-25,27-diol, a calix[4]arene with thiophene substituents in para position with respect to the hydroxyl groups, has been investigated using ab initio and DFT quantum mechanical methods. This compound models a molecular device constituted by small oligomers of thiophene and calix[4]arene units, whose actuation mechanism is promoted by the conformational flexibility of the latter. To examine the influence of the electronic structure of this electroactive calix[4]arene, three different states have been considered: (i) neutral state; (ii) oxidized state, in which one electron is extracted from each thiophene ring; and (iii) oxidized-deprotonated state, in which the two hydroxyl groups of the oxidized compound are deprotonated. Results are discussed and compared with those obtained for the same molecule but without thiophene substituents, 25,27-dihydroxy-26,28-dimethoxycalix[4]arene. Although the influence of the thiophene substituents is negligible in the neutral state, they play a crucial role in the rotational isomerism of both the oxidized and deprotonated-oxidized states.     

Functional modification,self-assembly and application of calix[4]resorcinarenes

As a special subset of calix[4]arene, calix[4]resorcinarene is an excellent molecular platform which could be modified by introducing functional groups to multiple sites at the upper and lower rims. There are mainly three ways to build functionalized calix[4]resorcinarene derivatives: (1) modification on the C-2 sites of calix[4]resorcinarenes; (2) modification on the phenolic hydroxyl groups of calix[4]resorcinarenes; (3) modification on the bridging methylenes at lower rim of calix[4]resorcinarenes. Functionalized calix[4]resorcinarene derivatives play an important role in the development of self-assembly chemistry, among which hydrogen bonding and metal coordination are the two most common interactions to obtain multicomponent structures. Moreover, due to the excellent topological structures and various active substituents of functionalized calix[4]resorcinarene derivatives, their applications in various fields, such as nanoparticles, catalysts, fluorescent materials, and sensors, have been briefly presented in this paper.

     

New water-soluble host molecules derived from calix[6]arene

4-Sulfonate derivatives of calix[6]arene and O-n-hexylcalix[6]arene (1a and 1b, respectively) were synthesized. Measurements using fluorescence and absorption spectral probes indicated that the cavity of calix-[6]arene can accept a naphthalene molecule but not a pyrene molecule and that (1b) has a hydrophobic cavity constructed from the aggregate of the hexyl groups while (1a) provides a reaction field apparently more polar than water. This is the first example for water-soluble host molecules derived from calix[6]arene.     

Synthesis of tetraazacalix[2]arene[2]triazines: tuning the cavity by the substituents on the bridging nitrogen atoms

[Structure: see text] A number of tetraazacalix[2]arene[2]triazines bearing different substituents on the bridging nitrogen atoms were synthesized efficiently using a fragment coupling strategy. The N-arylation of the parent azacalix[2]arene]2]triazine afforded tetra(arylaza)calix[2]arene[2]triazine in 91% yield. The introduction of different substituents on the bridging positions led to the regulation of the cavity of the resulting macrocyclic molecules.     

Acid-promoted rearrangement of carbonate functionality anchored to the lower rim of a Calix

A unique calix[4]arene lower-rim intramolecular rearrangement, resulting in molecular asymmetry arising from the upper- and lower-rim substitution pattern, produces a new class of inherently chiral calix[4]arenes in a partial cone conformation. This was aided by molecular rigidification arising from pi-pi and C-H.pi interactions between bulky lower-rim substituents, with the corresponding circular dichroism spectra exhibiting the most intense bisignate Cotton effects yet observed for calix[4]arenes not bearing a chiral center.     

Meso-diacylated calix[4]pyrrole: structural diversities and enhanced binding towards dihydrogenphosphate ion

Meso-diacylated calix[4]pyrrole was obtained via acid catalysed condensation of meso-acylated dipyrromethane with acetone. Selective presence of flexible substituents at the calix[4]pyrrole periphery led to interesting structural motifs in the solid state along with enhanced binding towards anions, especially dihydrogenphosphate ion via anchoring.     

Synthesis, structure, and properties of nitronyl nitroxyl tetraradical with calix[4]arene framework

A reaction of calix[4]arene tetraaldehyde with 2,3-bis(hydroxyamino)-2,3-dimethylbutane in DMF resulted in the corresponding 1,3-dihydroxyimidazolidine tetraadduct, whose oxidation gave a calix[4]arene (1,3-alternate) bearing four nitronyl nitroxyl-containing substituents at the upper rim.     

The selective preparation of partial cone O-aryl calix[4]arene ethers from 1,3-dimethoxycalix[4]arene: a new platform for the preparation of non-aggregated dyes

We report a new direct route for the selective preparation of novel partial cone O-aryl ether calix[4]arenes to be used as new platforms for the preparation of non-aggregated dyes. These partial cone conformers have the aromatic substituents lying within the calix[4]arene annulus via the upper rim.     

The reaction of β-lactam carbenes with 3,6-dipyridyltetrazines: switch of reaction pathways by 2-pyridyl and 4-pyridyl substituents of tetrazines

The reactions of β-lactam carbenes with both 3,6-di(2-pyridyl)tetrazine and 3,6-di(4-pyridyl)tetrazine were studied. It was found that β-lactam carbenes reacted with 3,6-di(2-pyridyl)tetrazine to produce 5-triazolo[1,5-a]pyridylpyrrol-2-ones in good yields, while with 3,6-di(4-pyridyl)tetrazine, they afforded pyrido[c]cyclopenta[b]pyrrol-2-ones in moderate yields. Both reactions were proposed to follow cascade mechanisms containing a 3,6a-dipyridylpyrrolo[3,2-c]pyrazol-5-one intermediate. The different pathways of the transformation of pyrrolo[3,2-c]pyrazol-5-ones were switched by the 2- and 4-pyridyl substituents. This work not only provided a simple and efficient strategy for the construction of novel triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine and pyrido[c]cyclopenta[b]pyrrole derivatives, respectively, but also revealed two different thermal transformation patterns of 3H-pyrazole compounds.     

Calix[4]tubes: a new class of potassium-selective ionophore

A new class of cryptand-like ionophore based on a bis calix[4]arene structure has been developed. These molecules proved highly selective for complexation of potassium over all group I metal cations and barium. A range of symmetric and asymmetric calix[4]tubes featuring either alkyl or phenyl substituents at the upper rim have been synthesized in exceptional yield. Alteration of the calix[4]arene upper rim environment enables fine-tuning of the rate of potassium uptake, which can be evaluated through the conformational change on binding by NMR studies. Selectivity of potassium complexation has been demonstrated using NMR and electrospray mass spectral techniques. Molecular modeling studies, derived from crystallographic data, confirm that the potassium metal cation is complexed via the axial route, passing through the calix[4]arene annulus, and provide evidence for complexation rate and selectivity.     

Synthesis of rccc- and rctt-diastereoisomers of novel triazole-containing calix[4]resorcinols

Novel calix[4]resorcinols containing four triazole fragments on the aromatic substituents of the calixarene framework were synthesized via a one-step condensation of resorcinol and its derivatives with 4-(1-benzyl-1H-[1,2,3]triazol-4-ylmethoxy)benzaldehyde. The macrocyclic products are rctt- and/or rccc-isomers, which were isolated and characterized by NMR and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The same products were also prepared via the click-reaction of benzyl azide with previously synthesized calix[4]resorcinols containing four alkyne terminal groups on the aromatic substituents. In this case, only rctt-diastereomers of the corresponding calixarenes were isolated, which is governed by conformational features of the starting macrocycles.     

1,3-Diketone Calix[4]arene Derivatives—A New Type of Versatile Ligands for Metal Complexes and Nanoparticles

The present review is aimed at highlighting outlooks for cyclophanic 1,3-diketones as a new type of versatile ligands and building blocks of the nanomaterial for sensing and bioimaging. Thus, the main synthetic routes for achieving the structural diversity of cyclophanic 1,3-diketones are discussed. The structural diversity is demonstrated by variation of both cyclophanic backbones (calix[4]arene, calix[4]resorcinarene and thiacalix[4]arene) and embedding of different substituents onto lower or upper macrocyclic rims. The structural features of the cyclophanic 1,3-diketones are correlated with their ability to form lanthanide complexes exhibiting both lanthanide-centered luminescence and magnetic relaxivity parameters convenient for contrast effect in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The revealed structure–property relationships and the applicability of facile one-pot transformation of the complexes to hydrophilic nanoparticles demonstrates the advantages of 1,3-diketone calix[4]arene ligands and their complexes in developing of nanomaterials for sensing and bioimaging.     

Substituent Effects on the Structural Features and Nonlinear Optical Properties of the Organic Alkalide Li+(calix[4]pyrrole)Li−

The effects of substituents on the structure, character, and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of the organic alkalide Li⁺(calix[4]pyrrole)Li^? were studied by density functional theory. Natural bond orbital analysis and vertical ionization energies reveal that electron‐donating substituents strengthen the alkalide character of Li⁺(calix[4]pyrrole)Li^? and that they are beneficial for a larger first hyperpolarizability (β₀) value. However, electron‐withdrawing substituents have the opposite effect. The dependence of the NLO properties on the number of substituents and their relative position was detected in multisubstituted Li⁺(calix[4]pyrrole)Li^? compounds. For both the amino‐ and methyl‐substituted derivatives, the polarizabilities and the first hyperpolarizabilities increase as more pyrrole β‐H atoms are substituted. Moreover, distribution of the substituents so that they are as far away from each other as possible resulted in an increase in the β₀ value. The new knowledge obtained in this study may provide an effective approach to enhance the NLO responses of alkalides by employing pyrrole derivatives as complexants.     

Selective transmembrane carriers for hydroxycarboxylic acids: Influence of a macrocyclic calix[4]arene platform

Selective transmembrane carriers for a-hydroxy acids, acyclic a-amino phosphonates and calix[4]arenes containing a-aminophosphonate substituents at the lower rim have been synthesized; analytical HPLC has been used to monitor the selective separation of dicarboxylic, a-hydroxy and a-amino acid mixtures by membrane extraction; the attachment of a-aminophosphonate fragments to the macrocyclic calix[4]arene platform results in receptors with markedly modified efficiency and selectivity relative to those of only aminophosphonates.     

Synthesis of marine sponge bisindole alkaloids dihydrohamacanthins

[structure: see text] A convergent synthesis of the marine sponge bisindole alkaloids dihydrohamacanthins is described. The synthesis centers on the construction of 3,5- and 3,6-linked pyrazinones and their reduction to the requisite piperazinones with sodium cyanoborohydride.     

Complex Formation of Dimethylaminomethylcalix[4]resorcinarene and 2-Dimethylaminomethylphenol with Cu(II) Salicylaldiminates

Electronic and ESR spectroscopy was used to show that the reactions of dimethylaminomethylcalix[4]resorcinarene with Cu(II) salicylaldiminates bearing alkyl substituents at the salicylaldiminate nitrogen atom give 1 : 1 adducts with the dimethylamino group coordinated axially to the Cu(II) complex. The spatially organized calix[4]resorcinarene structure and the possibility of outer-sphere interactions favor a much higher stability of the adduct compared with the similar complex with 2-dimethylaminomethylphenol. In going from alkyl to aryl substituents, salicylaldiminates are replaced by the anion derived from dimethylaminomethylcalix[4]resocinarene. The same replacement takes place in the reaction with 2-dimethylaminomethylphenol.     

Synthetic receptors based on calix[4]arene functionalized at the lower rim in molecular recognition of dicarboxylic, α-hydroxycarboxylic,and α-amino acids

New calix[4]arenes, di- and tetrasubstituted at the lower rim, with different functional groups were synthesized. They were studied as carriers of a series of dicarboxylic and -hydroxycarboxylic acids through a liquid impregnated membrane. The calix[4]arenes under study are capable of molecular recognition of oxalic acid in the series of structurally similar dicarboxylic and -hydroxycarboxylic acids. The regularities found make it possible to change purposefully the receptor ability of 1,3-disubstituted calix[4]arenes by variation of the nature of substituents.