A new acenaphthenequinone-based calix[4]pyrrole: Synthesis, structure and anion binding study

A new calix[4]pyrrole type anion receptor (1) containing two anti-symmetrically meso-situated acenaphthenequinone moieties has been constructed by a “one-pot” facile synthesis. The crystal structures of 1 and 1·F− complex were characterized by X-ray crystallography. The crystal of 1·F− complex witnessed that a CH group from the acenaphthenequinone participated in anion binding through CH…F hydrogen bond which was also conformed in solution by 1H NMR titration in CD2Cl2. The anion binding property of 1 was studied in CH2Cl2 using UV–vis spectrometry and the results reflected that it bound selectively with F− and Cl− ions.