Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2016, 12, 1749–1757.
bonylmethoxy-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene (2.3 g, 90%). 1H argon atmosphere. The reaction was monitored by TLC (sol-
NMR (CDCl3, 400 MHz) δ 7.10 (s, 2H, ArOH), 7.05 (s, 4H, vent EtOAc–hexane 2:3). After completion of the reaction, the
ArH), 6.84 (s, 4H, ArH), 4.75 (s, 4H, O-CH2), 4.48 (d, J = 13.2 resulting mixture was treated with 50 mL of saturated aqueous
Hz, 4H, Ar-CH2-Ar), 4.32 (q, J = 7.2 Hz, 4H, -CH2CH3), 3.35 sodium bicarbonate solution and filtered off. The transparent
(d, J = 13.2 Hz, 4H, Ar-CH2-Ar), 1.35 (t, J = 7.2 Hz, 6H, filtrate was concentrated in vacuum in order to remove the
CH2CH3), 1.29 (s, 18H, -C(CH3)3), 1.01 (s, 18H, C(CH3)3) organic solvent. The residue was filtered off to yield compound
ppm; 13C NMR (CDCl3, 100 MHz) δ 169.28, 150.73, 150.29, 4 (1.67g, 97%) as transparent plates. The crude product was
147.07, 141.47, 132.52, 127.97, 125.76, 125.08, 72.41, 61.27, used directly in the next step. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 400 MHz) δ
33.94, 33.82, 31.88, 31.66, 31.05, 14.17 ppm.
7.66 (d, J = 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.60 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.50 (d, J =
7.2 Hz, 1H), 7.35 (td, J = 7.6 and J = 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.22 (td, J =
5,11,17,23-Tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-di(hydroxycarbonyl- 7.6 and J = 1.2, 1H), 6.9 (br s, 1H), 6.73 (dd, J = 8.0 and J = 2.4
methoxy)-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene (2) [38]: A mixture Hz, 1H), 3.84 (s, 2H), 3.70 (br s, 2H, NH2) ppm; 13C NMR
of 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-di(ethoxycarbonyl-me- (CDCl3, 100 MHz) δ 145.75, 145.16, 142.27, 142.15, 133.01,
thoxy)-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene (1, 1.0 g, 1.2 mmol) and 126.64, 125.09, 124.76, 120.67, 118.6, 113.98, 111.82, 36.83
20% aqueous sodium hydroxide (2 mL, 1.2 mmol) in ethanol ppm.
(50 mL) was refluxed for 24 h. The residue was diluted with
water (50 mL). HCl (3 mol·L−1) was added to the resulting 5,11,17,23-Tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-di[(9H-fluoren-2-
suspension until pH 1 was reached. This suspension was yl)aminocarbonylmethoxy]-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene
washed with chloroform (100 mL) and brine (30 mL). The (L): A mixture of 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-di(hydroxy-
organic layer was dried over MgSO4 and the solvents were re- carbonylmethoxy)-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene (2, 0.50 g,
moved under vacuum to give 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,27- 0.65 mmol) and N,N’-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (2.6 mmol)
di(hydroxycarbonylmethoxy)-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene (2, was dissolved in 5 mL dichloromethane and stirred for 10 min
0.9 g, 96%). 1H NMR (CDCl3, 400 MHz) δ 7.09 (s, 4H, ArH) , at room temperature. 9H-Fluoren-2-amine (4, 0.20 g, 1.1 mmol)
6.98 (s, 4H, ArH), 6.9–5.4 (bs, 4H, -OH, -COOH), 4.71 (s, 4H, was added and the mixture was stirred for 24 h at room temper-
O-CH2), 4.17 (d, J = 13.6 Hz, 4H, Ar-CH2-Ar), 3.46 (d, J = ature. Then, the solvent was removed and the residue was dis-
13.6 Hz, 4H, Ar-CH2-Ar), 1.28 (s, 18H, -C(CH3)3), 1.09 (s, solved in chloroform (50 mL) and washed with water (30 mL).
18H, C(CH3)3) ppm; 13C NMR (CDCl3, 100 MHz) δ 170.32, The crude product was purified by silica gel column chromatog-
149.07, 149.01, 148.46, 143.14, 132.51, 127.25, 126.31, 125.68, raphy using petroleum ether–ethylacetate 3:1 as eluent to give L
72.42, 34.18, 33.91, 32.32, 31.58, 31.03 ppm.
(0.58 g, 81%) as white powder. Mp: 241–243 °C; 1H NMR
(CDCl3, 400 MHz) δ 10.12 (s, 2H, NH), 7.98 (s, 2H, ArOH),
2-Nitro-9H-fluorene (3) [39]: 9H-Fluorene (6.0 g, 36.1 mmol) 7.73 (d, J = 7.6 Hz, 2H, ArH), 7.63 (d, J = 0.8 Hz, 2H, ArH),
was dissolved in 100 mL of glacial acetic acid at 60 °C. 15 mL 7.51–7.48 (m, 4H, ArH), 7.41–7.37 (m, 2H, ArH), 7.34–7.3 (m,
of nitric acid (65%) were added dropwise (~10 min) at 60 °C 4H, ArH), 7.19 (s, 4H, ArH), 7.01 (s, 4H, ArH), 4.7 (s, 4H,
upon vigorous stirring. After the addition was completed, the O-CH2), 4.3 (d, J = 13.6 Hz, 4H, Ar-CH2-Ar), 3.57 (d, J = 13.6
resulting mixture was further stirred at 60 °C. The reaction was Hz, 4H, Ar-CH2-Ar), 3.56 (s, 4H, Ph-CH2-Ph), 1.33 (s, 18H,
monitored by TLC (solvent EtOAc–n-heptane 1:9). After ap- C(CH3)3), 1.08 (s, 18H, C(CH3)3) ppm; 13C NMR (CDCl3, 100
pearance of the spot of the dinitro product (≈100 min, Rf MHz) δ 165.19, 149.53, 148.85, 148.26, 143.92, 143.60,
≈25%), the mixture was poured into 600 mL of water. The re- 143.34, 141.52, 137.80, 136.16, 132.17, 127.36, 126.65, 126.40,
sulting crude product was filtered off, washed with water and 126.08, 125.76, 124.87, 119.62, 119.57, 117.43, 115.89, 74.84,
recrystallized from 200 mL acetonitrile to give compound 3 36.85, 34.22, 34.01, 32.14, 31.62, 30.98 ppm. HRMS m/z: [M]+
(7.1 g, 92%) as slightly-yellow needles. 1H NMR (CDCl3, calcd for C74H78N2O6, 1090.5860; found, 1090.4344.
400 MHz) δ 8.42 (s, 1H), 8.31 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 1H), 7.89–7.87
(m, 2H), 7.64 (d, J = 6.4 Hz, 1H), 7.49–7.43 (m, 2H), 4.02 (s,
Supporting Information
2H) ppm; 13C NMR (CDCl3, 100 MHz) δ 148.09, 146.79,
144.81, 143.92, 139.47, 128.87, 127.43, 125.43, 123.14, 121.34,
Supporting Information File 1
120.49, 119.88, 36.96 ppm.
1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra of compounds 1, 2, 3, 4
and L, HRMS of L, UV–vis and fluorescene titration
spectra of L with Cu2+ ion solutions.
9H-Fluoren-2-amine (4) [40]: A mixture of 2-nitro-9H-fluo-
rene (2.0 g, 9.5 mmol), iron powder (1.0 g, 18.7 mmol), and
NH4Cl (0.75 g, 12.46 mmol) was refluxed in aqueous ethanol
(75 mL of alcohol and 25 mL of water) at 85 °C for 4 h under
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