A facile one-pot access to cone and 1,3-alternate conformers of calix[4]arene-bis(amido)crowns

A facile one-pot access to cone and 1,3-alternate calix[4]arene-bis(amido)crowns by the use of sodium hydride or cesium carbonate as template/base has been reported. The structures of products have been established through detailed chemical, physical, and spectroscopic data and single crystal X-ray analysis of calix[4]arene-bis-(ethyleneamido)crown, 7a. The preliminary evaluation of the obtained molecular receptors promise opportunities to design molecular capsules/carriers for toxic metal ions (i.e., Hg++) and anionic species (CrO4−−).