Inherently chiral heterocyclic resorcinarenes using a Diels–Alder reaction

Abstract

This paper presents a novel approach to highly diastereoselective synthesis of resorcinarenes having enlarged cavities. Inherently chiral heterocyclic resorcinarenes have been obtained with unusually high diastereoselecivity by a “one pot” sequence involving thermal generation of o-quinomethide resorcinarene derivatives and the subsequent Diels–Alder reaction with dienophiles (exemplified by α-methylstyrene). The diastereoselectivity of this reaction is explained based on the thermodynamic stability of the products. The enantiomers of rac-4 have been separated by HPLC and their absolute configuration was assigned by comparison of their experimental and theoretical CD spectra.