Synthesis and Molecular Structure of 4′,9′,4^″,9^″-Tetra-tert-butyl-1′,6′,1^″,6^″-tetramethoxy-2,5-dioxa[3.3]metabiphenylophane

Abstract

A large calixarene-like metacyclophane, 4′,9′,4″,9″-tetra-tert-butyl-1′,6′,1″,6″-tetramethoxy-2,5-dioxa[3.3]metabiphenylophane, was synthesized by an intermolecular condensation reaction of its corresponding bischloromethyl-biphenyl and bishydroxymethyl-biphenyl precursors. After molecular characterization by 1H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, the compound generated single crystals by recrystallization from a dichloromethane/hexane mixture, facilitating an exact conformational determination via X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystal was found to belong to the monoclinic space group P21/n with cell parameters a = 19.908(2) Å, b = 9.7193(11) Å, c = 23.350(3) Å, β = 109.594(1)°, and Dcalc=1.150 g/cm3 at 90 K. The compound adopted quite strained 1,2-alternate-like conformations because its biphenyl parts displayed large dihedral angles and rigidity. The crystal did not incorporate any solvent molecule but its molecular cavity and crystal space were effectively filled by the substituents.