Partial functionalisation of C4-symmetric tetramethoxyresorcinarenes

Investigations into the distal-functionalisation of the phenols of racemic C-4-symmetric tetramethoxyresorcinarene has led to a simple, single-step procedure that allows the isolation of gram quantities of partially silylated derivatives, with the targeted distally silylated resorcinarene being obtained in a yield of 31%. These partially silylated derivatives would serve as versatile intermediates for the selective functionalisation of this elegant architecture. The solid-state structures of many of these derivatives have been determined by single crystal X-ray crystallography.[GRAPHICS].