Novel chiral N4S2- and N6S3-donor macrocyclic ligands:: synthesis, protonation constants, metal-ion binding and asymmetric catalysis in the Henry reaction

New hydrophobic chiral macrocyclic ligands L1-L3 with chiral diamino and thiophene moieties have been synthesized by the Schiff base condensation approach. Protonation constants of L1 and L2 were determined by potentiometry titration. Metal-ion binding experiments exhibited that L1 and L3 are pronounced in selective recognition, Ag+, Cu2+ and Ca2+ ions among the surveyed metal ions (Cu2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Ag+, Li+, Na+, K+, and Ca2+). L1 was found to spectroscopically detect the presence of Cu2+ and Ca2+ to function as a multiple readout sensor. The detection limit for Ca2+ ions was found to be 9.8 x 10(-5) M in CH2Cl2-MeOH solution. The trimeric chiral ligand L3 has been shown to be an efficient auxiliary in a Zn(II)-mediated enantioselective Henry reaction.