Carboxylic acid functionalized ortho-linked oxacalix[2]benzene[2]pyrazine: Synthesis, structure, hydrogen bond and metal directed self-assembly

Cyclooligomerization of 2,6-dichloropyrazine 4 and benzyl 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate 5 under microwave irradiation resulted in a racemic pair of ester functionalized ortho-linked oxacalix[2]benzene[2]pyrazine 6, which was further transformed to the corresponding racemic carboxylic acid functionalized ortho-linked oxacalix[2]benzene[2]pyrazine 3. Both enantiomers of 3 adopt 1,3-alternate conformations with their two carboxylic acid groups pointing to opposite directions in the solid state. Enantiomers of 3 form a step-like one-dimensional supramolecular polymer via intermolecular hydrogen bond interactions between the carboxylic acids for crystals obtained in methanol. No hydrogen bonds were formed between the carboxylic acids for crystals of 3 obtained in pyridine and aqueous guanidine solutions; instead, intermolecular hydrogen bonds between the carboxylic acid groups of 3 and pyridine, as well as guanidinium ions were formed. Under metal-mediated self-assembly conditions, the pyrazinyl nitrogen atoms in 3 interacted with transition metal ions, such as Ag(i), Cu(ii) and Zn(ii), and resulted in the formation of four new metal-containing supramolecular complexes. Metallomacrocycles 7, 8 and 9 were formed by reactions of 3 with Ag(i) or Cu(ii) ions by bridging two ligands 3 in the equatorial region via M-N coordination bonds. A one-dimensional coordination polymer 10 was generated by reaction between ligand 3 and Zn(ii) ions, and a cage-based structure is presented in 10 by bridging of the cyclophane units by Zn ions via Zn-N and Zn-O bonds. © 2012 The Royal Society of Chemistry.