Synthetic approaches to mixed ligand chelators on tert-butylphenol–formaldehyde oligomer (PFO) platforms

Synthetic approaches to mixed ligand chelators on readily available tert-butylphenol–formaldehyde oligomer, PFO, scaffolds were examined. In a promising approach, tris and tetraphenol oligomers were selectively mono or di protected using tert-butyldiphenyl silyl chloride. The utility of these protected intermediates to prepare representative mixed PFO chelators, carrying ligands such as hydroxamic acid, 3,2-hydroxypyridinones, and others was then demonstrated. The introduction of the ligand tethers onto the phenolic scaffold can be done sequentially under relatively mild conditions that tolerate the presence of other sensitive ligand groups. The differential reactivity of the disilyl derivative 20b, allowed stepwise introduction of two different ligands on the internal phenolic positions. This enabled the introduction of three different ligand groups of choice onto the tetraphenol platform.