Hexakis(m-phenylene ethynylene) Macrocycles with Multiple H-Bonding Side Chains and Modified Cavities: Altered Stacking Strength and Persistent Tubular Assembly

Hexakis(m-phenylene ethynylene) macrocycles 1 bearing multiple hydrogen-bonding side chains and containing inner cavities modified with different functional groups are synthesized based on Pd-catalyzed (Sonogashira) coupling of monomeric building blocks to trimeric precursors that are recombined and coupled to give macrocycles with different substitution patterns of inward-pointing groups. Examining four representative macrocycles indicates that they all undergo the same helical tubular assembly previously observed for macrocycle 1a but with different stacking strengths.