A stepped bilayer packing motif for para-sulphonatocalix[4]arene: The solid-state structure of the para-sulphonatocalix[4]arene-triethylamine complex

A new para-sulphonatocalix[4]arene supramolecular packing architecture with triethylammonium ligands has been determined. The structure is based on a “stepped bilayer” formed by para-sulphonatocalixarenes in which triethylammonium cations are complexed in two different manners, with one cation included in the macrocyclic cage and the other situated externally in the hydrophobic interlayer environment. This architecture is quite different from those observed in the case of arginine, lysine or other alkylammonium complexes.