Highly extended styrylstyrylcalix[4]arene assemblies: synthesis and optical properties

Novel highly extended, cone-conformed tetrakis-styrylstyryltetrapropoxycalix[4]arenes and bis-styrylstyryltetrapropoxycalix[4]arenes were synthesized by stereoselective Wadsworth–Emmons reactions. Intramolecular chromophoric interaction of these assemblies resulted in changes to optical properties relative to those of the corresponding monomers with fluorescence enhancement being observed for the assemblies end-capped with methylsulfonyl acceptors.