Glycoside-clustering round calixarenes toward the development of multivalent ligands. Synthesis and conformational analysis of Calix[4]arene O- and C-glycoconjugates.

Bis- and tetra-O- and C-glycosyl calixarenes (calixsugars) have been prepared by tethering carbohydrate moieties to a tetrapropoxycalix[4]arene scaffold through alkyl chains. Two methodologies have been employed. One consisted of the stereoselective multiple glycosylation of upper rim calix[4]arene polyols leading to calix-O-glycosides; the other involved a multiple Wittig olefination of upper rim calix[4]arene-derived polyaldehydes by the use of sugar phosphoranes and reduction of the alkene double bonds affording calix-C-glycosides. The NMR spectra and NOE experiments of bis-glycosylated products indicate that compounds bearing sugar-protected residues exist preferentially in solution in a flattened cone arrangement (far conformation) whereas deprotected derivatives adopt a close conformation. Calculations by molecular mechanics of the latter compounds point to a close conformation as well in gas phase.

Computational and experimental studies of di- and tetrasubstituted calix[4]arenes.

Calixarenes are molecular bowls or baskets that have been demonstrated to serve as hosts for cations, anions, and neutral molecules. The central cavity and scaffolding of various functionalities on the upper and lower rims establishes this class of compounds as extremely important in supramolecular chemistry studies. In earlier studies, calixsugars (molecules that have sugar molecules appended to the upper rim of the calix) were prepared. Among the potential advantages of these molecules are increased water solubility and enhanced possibilities that these chiral attachments can promote enantiomeric selection. Computational studies, however, have indicated that the chosen calixsugars had significantly encumbered upper rims, suggesting that host-guest associations would be limited. In an attempt to understand those factors responsible for the favored conformations of calixsugars, a number of 5,17-disubstituted and tetrasubstituted calix[4]arenes were prepared and studied experimentally as well as by molecular mechanics conformational searching techniques.