Phosphite macrocycles of varying size

The condensation reaction of a dichlorophosphite with different bisphenols afforded macrocyclic phosphites of different sizes in dependence on the geometry of the bisphenol applied. A tri-nuclear flexible bisphenol yielded a dimeric macrocycle in moderate yield. Application of a bi-nuclear bisphenol in this reaction resulted in the formation of both dimeric and trimeric macrocycles in almost equal amounts, whereas the linear 1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-diol led to a tetrameric, square, macrocyclic phosphite.