Supramolecular compounds from multiple ugi multicomponent macrocyclizations: peptoid-based cryptands, cages, and cryptophanes.

The first 3-fold multicomponent macrocyclizations of trifunctional building blocks were developed to produce, in one pot, cryptands, cages, and cryptophanes with peptoid tethers carrying additional recognition motifs. The straightforward, efficient, and diversity-oriented fashion by which these complex macromulticycles are obtained is suitable for building combinatorial libraries of synthetic receptors with potential applicability in catalysis and supramolecular and coordination chemistry. The strategy also easily allows creation of asymmetric macromulticyclic cavities, with up to 20 new bonds formed in one pot.