New Chiral Macrocyclic Compounds from D-Mannitol

Abstract

We have recently reported the synthesis of new chiral macrocyclic polyhydroxyethers by reduction of cyclodextrins 1. These compounds display appreciable conformational freedom in solution as it occurs with the ionophores. Our chiral macrocycles may be considered as built by units of alditol (1 → 4) alditols. Such units, conveniently substituted, prepared by us by reduction of disaccharide derivatives2, are possible synthons for the synthesis of other macrocyclic polyhydroxyethers in which the nature and number of alditol (1 → n) alditol components can be varied at will. We are interested in the preparation and the structural studies of these type of receptors since the synthesis of new chiral macrocycles is a topic of interest and the building of chiral cavities may be of importance in the study of host-guest interactions. We now report on the preparation, from D-mannitol, a readily available starting material with C₂symmetry, and tetraethylene glycol, of the chiral macrocycles 1, 2, and 3, as model compounds in exploring the synthesis of more complex macrocyclic polyhydroxyethers derived from alditol (1 → n) alditol. Other macrocyclic compounds from D mannitol have been previously synthesised.