Multinuclear metallocalix[4]arenes incorporating ethylzinc groups

Abstract

Reaction of p-Bu^t-calix[4]arene (H₄L) with excess ZnEt₂(tmeda) in toluene affords the fully deprotonated, bis-calixarene complex, [Zn₅L₂Et₂(tmeda)₂], with each ethyl group endo to a clixarene in the cone conformation; reaction of 1,3-dimethyl ether p-Bu^t-calix[4]arene (H₂L) with ZnEt₂ yields the mono-calixarene complex [Zn₂L′Et₂], the calixarene adopting a doubly flattened partial cone conformation.