Structure, derivatisation, and metal complexation of p-cyclohexylcalix[4]arene

Driven by an interest in the impact of the para-substituent of calix[4]arenes on metal complexation and structural chemistry, studies of p-cyclohexylcalix[4]arene (L) have been carried out. The 1:1 dichloromethane and dimethylformamide solvates were found to be isostructural, and different to the typical bilayer structure often observed for p-t-butylcalix[4]arene solvates. The methanol solvate, in contrast, does form a bilayered structure but is also a 1:1 solvate, unlike the p-t-butylcalix[4]arene·2MeOH system. Lanthanoid complexation was investigated, resulting in the structural characterisation of two different DMF solvates of a 2:2 dimeric europium complex, Eu₂(L–3H)₂(DMF)₄. A tetrazole derivative, 5,11,17,23-tetracyclohexyl-25,27-dihydroxy-26,28-bis(tetrazole-5-ylmethoxy)calix[4]arene, has been synthesised via the intermediate 5,11,17,23-tetracyclohexyl-25,27-dihydroxy-26,28-dicyanomethoxycalix[4]arene, with the latter compound being structurally characterised. Attempts to isolate lanthanoid clusters supported by the tetrazole derivative under conditions known to form Ln19 clusters with the p-t-butyl analogue were unsuccessful, resulting only in isolation of the ligand from the reaction mixture.