A study of anion binding behaviour of 1,3-alternate thiacalix[4]arene-based receptors bearing urea moietiesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: 1H, 13C NMR & IR spectra of compounds 2, 3 and 4a-c, 1H NMR spectroscopic and UV-vis titration experimental data and computational studies. CCDC 1062186. For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/c6nj00923a

• Main Authors: Rahman, Shofiur, Tomiyasu, Hirotsugu, Kawazoe, Hiroto, Zhao, Jiang-Lin, Cong, Hang, Ni, Xin-Long, Zeng, Xi, Elsegood, Mark R. J, Warwick, Thomas G, Teat, Simon J, Redshaw, Carl, Georghiou, Paris E, Yamato, Takehiko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1144-0546; 1369-9261
• DOI: 10.1039/c6nj00923a

Three novel thiacalix[4]arene receptors 4 a-c each with a 1,3- alternate conformation and possessing two urea moieties linking various phenyl groups substituted with either para electron-donating or -withdrawing groups have been synthesized. The binding properties of these receptors were investigated by means of 1 H NMR spectroscopy and UV-vis absorption titration experiments using various anions. The structures and complexation energies were also studied by density functional theory (DFT) methods. The results suggested that receptor 4 c , which possesses two p -(trifluoromethyl)phenyl ureido moieties, can complex most efficiently in the urea cavity and exhibits high selectivity towards F − and AcO − ions. Thiacalix[4]arene receptors with two urea moieties exhibited a high affinity towards all of the selected anions.