New Tetrafunctionalized Cone Calix[4]arenes as Neutral Hosts for Anion Recognition

Abstract

The synthesis and anion binding properties of several new cone calix4]arenes having different flexibility and tetrafunctionalized at the upper rim with various type of hydrogen bonding donor groups such as thioureas (1–3), trifluoroacetamides (4, 5) and perfluorinated alcohols (6) are reported. The results obtained show that thiourea receptors are the most effective in the complexation of all anions and that the rigid cone compound 2 is more efficient than the mobile cone analog 1 in the binding of spherical anions, whereas the reverse is true for the complexation of tetrahedral H₂PO₄ ^? anion.