A New Functional Cyclophane Host. Synthesis, Complex Formation and Crystal Structures of Three Inclusion Compounds

A new macrocyclic host compound 2 having an octamethylsubstituted cyclophane structure with two intra-annular carboxylic acid functions has beensynthesized. The properties of crystalline inclusion formation are studied and X-ray crystalstructures of three inclusion complexes including acetic acid, propionic acid and acetone asthe guest molecules are reported. Inter-host channel formation with complexed guest moleculesaccommodated into the channels are typical features of the acetic acid and acetone 1 : 4 (host : guest) stoichiometric complexes being also hydrated species, while the propionicacid 1 : 2 complex is of the close packing type containing no additional water molecules.Systems of hydrogen bonds involving the host and guest functional groups are common toall structures. In the case of the acetic acid inclusion compound, a complex supramolecularhydrogen-bonded array comprising a bordering tricyclic assembly of eight molecular species exists.