A facile one-pot access to cone and 1,3-alternate conformers of calix[4] arene-bis(amido) crowns

A facile one-pot access to cone and 1,3-alternate calix[4] arene-bis(amido) crowns by the use of sodium hydride or cesium carbonate as template/ base has been reported. The structures of products have been established through detailed chemical, physical, and spectroscopic data and single crystal X-ray analysis of calix[4] arene-bis-(ethyleneamido) crown, 7a. The preliminary evaluation of the obtained molecular receptors promise opportunities to design molecular capsules/ carriers for toxic metal ions (i. e., Hg++) and anionic species (CrO4--). (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.