Unsymmetrical N and/or O-bridged calixarene derivatives: synthesis, structure and encapsulation of solvent molecules in the solid state

Eight unsymmetrical N and/or O-bridged calixarene derivatives were obtained by 1 (naphthalene-2,7-diol), 2 (bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)methanone), 3 (4,4′-methylenedianiline), 4 (3,3′-methylenedianiline), 5 (4,4′-oxydianiline) and 6 (4,4′-(perfluoropropane-2,2-diyl)dianiline) reacting with fragment a (4,4′-bis(dichloro-s-triazinyloxy)propane-2,2-diyldibenzene) and b (N,N′-bis(dichloro-s-triazinyl)-4,4′-methylenedianiline) under very mild reaction conditions via efficient fragment coupling strategy. We also obtained the crystal structure of 1a (tetraoxocalix[2](propane-2,2-diyldibenzene,naphthalene)[2]triazine) which can form a molecular capsule by two dimers with C–H⋯N and C–H⋯O quadruple hydrogen bonds, and it has the encapsulation ability toward solvent molecules.