Leveraging Torsional and Steric Strains: A Pre-macrocyclization Strategy Enables Conformation-Specific Fullerene Binding in m-Cyclophanes

Though the chemistry of resorcinarenes is half a century old, the conformationally-locked resorcinarene crowns are generally constructed using hydrogen bonds or covalent tethers. Often, covalent tethering involves extra post-macrocyclization steps involving upper-rim functionalities. We have leveraged the torsional and steric strains through α-substituents of the lower-rim C-alkyl chains and accomplished conformationally-rigid fluorescent m-cyclophane deep-crowns in a predetermined way. The strategy offers a pre-macrocyclization route conserving upper-rim functionalities, an aspect overlooked in resorcinarene chemistry. X-ray structural and computational analyses unveil the cause for conformational rigidity in m-cyclophanes due to α-branching in C-alkyls (linear vs. α-/β-branched). The conformationally-locked fluorescent deep-crown with a preorganized cavity captures hydrophobic spherical guest C60 in both solution and solid states specifically, when compared to conformationally-dynamic boats, enabling conformation-specific binding.

Tungstic acid-functionalized polycalix[4]resorcinarene as a cavity-containing hyper-branched supramolecular and recoverable acidic catalyst in 4H-pyran synthesis

In this study, tungstic acid immobilized on polycalix[4]resorcinarene, PC4RA@SiPr-OWO₃H, as a mesoporous acidic solid catalyst was synthesized and investigated for its catalytic activity. Polycalix[4]resorcinarene was prepared via a reaction between formaldehyde and calix[4]resorcinarene, and then the resulting polycalix[4]resorcinarene was modified using (3-chloropropyl)trimethoxysilane (CPTMS) to obtain polycalix[4]resorcinarene@(CH₂)₃Cl that was finally functionalized with tungstic acid. The designed acidic catalyst was characterized by various methods including FT-IR spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental mapping analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The catalyst efficiency was evaluated via the preparation of 4H-pyran derivatives using dimethyl/diethyl acetylenedicarboxylate, malononitrile, and beta-carbonyl compounds, confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The synthetic catalyst was introduced as a suitable catalyst with high recycling power in 4H-pyran synthesis.

Crystal structure of methyl (1-phenylethyl)carbamate, C10H13NO2

C10H13NO2, monoclinic, P21 (no. 14), a = 9.9882(7) Å, b = 8.5202(6) Å, c = 23.1403(18) Å, β = 91.010(2)°, V = 1969.0(2) Å3, Z = 8, R gt(F) = 0.0387, wR ref(F 2) = 0.0919, T = 173(2)K.

Crystal structure of 4,10,16,22-tetrahydroxy-6,12,18,24-tetramethoxy-2,8,14,20-tetraethylphenylresorcin[4]arene – ethyl acetate (1/1), C68H72O10

C68H72O10, triclinic, P1̅ (no. 2), a = 13.3619(4) Å, b = 13.9234(4) Å, c = 16.6975(5) Å, α = 96.023(2)°, β = 104.537(1)°, γ = 105.625(1)°, V = 2845.85(15) Å3, Z = 2, R gt(F) = 0.0491, wR ref(F2) = 0.1311, T = 173 K.

Synthesis and conformational studies of chiral macrocyclic [1.1.1]metacyclophanes containing benzofuran rings

A novel hemisphere-shaped inherently chiral calixarene analogoue [1.1.1]metacyclophane containing both benzene and benzofuran rings was synthesized by fragment coupling approach.