Expedient synthesis of benzene tricarboxamide macrocycles derived from p-aminobenzoic acid

The synthesis of macrocycles functionalized at the periphery in a regiospecific fashion is considered challenging. This Letter describes a six-step synthesis of N-alkylated benzene tricarboxamide macrocycles derived from p-aminobenzoic acid via the iterative coupling of Fmoc-protected monomers and cyclization of the resultant linear foldamers.