Novel molecular chirality in the calixarene family: formation of chiral disulfinyldithiacalix[4]arenes via partial oxidation of two adjacent sulfides of tetrathiacalix[4]arene

The first chiral disulfinyldithiacalix[4]arenes have been obtained by oxidation of two adjacent epithio groups of the tetramethyl ether of tetra(p-tert-butyl)tetrathiacalix[4]arene. The chiral resolution was achieved by HPLC using Chiralpak AD as a stationary phase. Furthermore, the absolute configuration of these compounds was determined by X-ray crystallography.