Disulfide struts: Assembly motifs supporting a cuprocapsule

Condensation of 2-aminoethanethiol with 1,3-bis(3-formyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,4,7,10,13-pentaoxatridecane in the presence of Cu(OAc)2 and base is accompanied by oxidative coupling of pendant thiols with the formation of a disulfide-containing macrocycle H21. This assembles the novel capsule [Cu2(1)2] which hosts two CH2Cl2 guest molecules.