Recognition of guests bearing donor and acceptor hydrogen bonding groups by heteroditopic calix[4]arene receptors

The synthesis of new hosts specifically designed for the recognition of neutral guests bearing donor–acceptor hydrogen bonding groups is described. These hosts are characterized by the presence of two distinct binding region in close proximity: the rigid π-donor cavity and the H-bond donor N-methylene-N′-phenylureido group inserted onto the upper rim of the calix[4]arene skeleton. The binding abilities of these receptors were investigated toward a series of neutral ditopic organic molecules in CDCl3 solution by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The results obtained show that rigidity of the calix[4]arene apolar cavity is the control element in determining efficiency. In fact, compared with the more rigid 2, host 10, where the rigidity of the cone structure is maintained by hydrogen bonding of the OH of the lower rim, a decrease of efficiency of almost one order of magnitude was observed. The cooperative effect of the two binding region of host 2 was verified with different classes of ditopic guests. Good efficiency in the recognition of urea derivatives and dimethylsulfoxide was achieved.