EFFICIENT SYNTHESIS OF NANOSCALE MACROCYCLIC HYDROCARBONS

In unusually high yields of 75 and 70% respectively, the macrocycles with six (1) and twelve arene units have been efficiently synthesized by cyclization of alpha-iodo-omega-ethynylphenyl-acetylene oligomers. The success is probably due to the preassembly of these difunctional building blocks. Molecular models indicate an inner diameter of 8.4 angstrom for 1 and 22 angstrom (!) for the larger macrocycle.