Two triethylammonium ion complexes of monoanionic calix[4]arene

Two complexes between mono‐deprotonated calix­4]­arene and Et₃HN⁺ are reported. The first, triethylammonium 26,27,28‐tri­hydroxy­penta­cyclo­19.3.1.1^3,7.1^9,13.1^15,19]­octacosa‐1(25),3,5,7(28),9,11,13(27),15,17,19(26),21,23‐dodecaen‐25‐olate, C₆H₁₆N⁺·C₂₈H₂₃O₄^?, comprises only the cationic and anionic species, whereas the second, tris­(triethyl­ammonium) tris26,27,28‐tri­hydroxy­penta­cyclo­19.3.1.1^3,7.1^9,13.1^15,19]­octacosa‐1(25),3,5,7(28),9,11,13(27),15,17,19(26),21,23‐dodecaen‐25‐olate] aceto­nitrile solvate, 3C₆H₁₆N⁺·3C₂₈H₂₃O₄^?·C₂H₃N, comprises one aceto­nitrile solvent mol­ecule for three such units. In both cases, the units are stacked in columns so that the ammonium cation is hydrogen bonded to a phenolic or phenolate O atom of one mol­ecule and included in the hydro­phobic cavity of another neighbouring calixarene. The short contacts present indicate that cation?π and C—H?π interactions are likely to be involved in the inclusion phenomena.