Modular chiral polyether podands and their lanthanide complexes

A novel series of modular chiral polyether podands derived from enantiomerically pure hydrobenzoin and binaphthol has been prepared using a NaH/15-crown-5 mediated Williamson ether synthesis. These new homochiral ligands form catalytically active complexes with lanthanide triflates, two of which have been characterised by X-ray diffraction.