Calix[4]arene Schiff bases—potential ligands for fluorescent studies

A series of novel double-armed calix[4]arene derivatives incorporating imine substituents were synthesised from the Schiff-base reaction of 25,27-bis[2-[(1-formyl-2-phenyl)oxy]ethyl]-p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene (1) with the appropriate amine or hydrazone. All compounds were characterised by various spectroscopic and analytical techniques, and in three cases, by X-ray crystallographic studies. In the case of compound 2, inclusion compounds were synthesised with both m-xylene and dimethylformamide and their X-ray structures revealed these inclusion sites—between the pendant arms and in the upper cavity, respectively. In all cases, the pendant arms are bent away from each rather than adopting a face-to-face conformation.