Synthesis of C-alkylcalix[4]arenes, 6 -: The interaction of resorcin[4]arenes with FeIII in chloroform

Resorcinarene octamethyl ethers, bearing carboalkyloxy groups in the side chains, have been shown to interact with Fe-III in organic media. H-1-NMR studies, carried out using Ga-III instead of Fe-III, suggest that these systems have two active sites of interaction, the first located at the aromatic moiet and the other in the vicinity of the carbonyl groups. As a confirmation of this, resorcinarenes without carbonyl groups in the side chains have been found to exhibit only one active site. Notably, in the latter case the interaction results in configurational changes.