A THEORETICAL COMPARISON OF CONFORMATIONAL FEATURES OF CALIX[4]AROMATICS

Abstract

Although there are tremendous studies about the conformational feature of calix[4]arenes and its analogies, no theoretical study has been done systematically about why some structural modifications could completely lead to a change of conformational preference. For example, calix[4]arene 1 adopts a cone conformation while its analogue calix[4]pyrrole 7 only adopts a 1,3-alternate conformation. So if this is only because of the effect of OH—OH hydrogen bonds, then why does O-methyl substituted calix[4]arene 2 still has cone conformation? In this paper, the conformational features of a series of seven calix[4]aromatics, calix[4]arene and calix[4]pyrrole related structures, have been investigated at BLYP/6–31G* level both in the gas phase and in CH 2 Cl 2 solution. The calculations demonstrated that three main factors influence the conformational preference of these calix[4]aromatics, i.e. the intramolecular hydrogen bond, the adjacent ring-ring electrostatic interaction and the intrinsic flexibility of the [14] metacyclophane framework. Calix[4]benzene 3 and calix[4]pyridine 4 have little conformational preferences due to their flexible [14] metacyclophane framework, the lack of hydrogen-bonding interactions and weak ring-ring electrostatic interactions. In contrast, calix[4]aromatics 1 and 5–7 have either intramolecular hydrogen bonds (1) or ring-ring electrostatic interactions (5–7). Consequently, calix[4]arene 1 has the cone preference and calix[4]pyrrole, calix[4]furan, and calixthiophene (5–7) have the 1,3-alternate preference. Methoxy calix[4]arene prefers a cone or partial cone conformation, because the 1,3-alternate and 1,2-alternate conformations are destabilized by electrostatic repulsions involving the methoxy group and the adjacent phenyl ring.