Macrocyclic hexaureas: synthesis, conformation, and anion binding.

Five macrocylic compounds XXXXXX, XXDXXD, XDXDXD, XDDXDD, and DDDDDD with 48-membered rings, in which six xanthene and/or diphenyl ether fragments are linked through six urea (-NH-C(O)-NH-) groups, have been synthesized. In the cyclization step, a linear diamine was allowed to react with the appropriate diisocyanate by using a [5+1] (i.e., "XDXDX+D" for XDXDXD), [4+2] (DDDDDD), or [3+3] (XDDXDD) procedure. Compounds XXXXXX and XXDXXD were prepared from two molecules of the dimeric amine XX and two molecules of the respective monomeric diisocyanate (X or D) in a [2+1+2+1] (or 2x[2+1]) reaction. The (nonoptimized) yields in the cyclization step ranged from 45 to 80%. The linear precursor diamines or diisocyanates were obtained by analogous condensation reactions by using partial protection with a tert-butoxycarbonyl group. All the macrocyclic compounds and synthetic intermediates were characterized by (1)H NMR and mass spectra. Three different crystal structures were obtained for XDDXDD, which show the molecule in a more or less strongly folded conformation determined by intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The interaction of the hexaureas with selected anions was studied by (1)H NMR spectroscopy and UV absorption spectrophotometry.