Studies Of Phosphorus-Functionalized Calix[4]arenes And Their Palladium Complexes

Abstract

Calixarenes, particularly calix[4]arenes, continue to attract considerable attention in synthetic chemistry, notably as platforms for designing sophisticated molecular cages and claw-like ligands. Incorporation of phosphorus containing fragments into the calix[4]arene framework gives rise to new class of phosphorus ligands, called “calixphosphines”, a class of molecules that combine a catalytic center (a transition metal) and a molecular receptor. This area of research has been growing rapidly in recent years. This thesis deals with the synthesis and a systematic study of conformational aspects of phosphorus functionalized calix[4]arene ligands and their palladium complexes. Several phosphorus functionalized calix[4]arene ligands and their (allyl) palladium complexes have been synthesized. The new compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, NMR and IR spectroscopic data. The molecular structures of some representative compounds have been confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Chapter 1 provides a brief overview of phosphorus functionalized calix[4]arenes and their transition metal chemistry with emphasis on aspects related to the theme of the present study. The scope and aim of the present investigation is outlined at the end of this chapter. Chapter 2 presents the results obtained in the present investigation and a discussion of these results, especially spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic data. The highlights of the present investigation and possible future directions are summarized at the end of this chapter. Chapter 3 contains relevant details of the experimental procedures for the synthesis of calix[4]arene phosphite ligands and their palladium complexes. Spectroscopic and analytical data of these compounds are also given in this chapter. The details of single crystal diffraction studies are included at the end of this chapter. The references to the literature are compiled at the end of the thesis and are indicated in the text by appropriate numbers appearing as superscripts. The compounds synthesized in the present study are represented by bold arabic numerals. The abbreviations employed in this thesis are those generally used in Chemical Abstracts.