Tunable threading/dethreading efficiency of the pseudorotaxane by ether chain length

A series of axles containing the tetraethyl ester calix[4]arene derivative unit and 1,5-dioxynaphthalene (DNP) unit, with different lengths of ether chains, have been synthesized. Complexation of the axles and the cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) (CBPQT4+) has been investigated by UV-vis and 1H NMR spectra. The effect of the length of ether chain on the threading/dethreading processes has also been demonstrated, which indicated that the efficiency of threading/dethreading process decreases with the extension of ether chain.