The selective mono and difunctionalization of carbocyclic cleft molecules with pyridyl groups and X-ray crystallographic analysis

The diesterification and selective mono and dialkylation of carbocyclic analogues of Tröger’s base with pyridyl groups has been achieved in high yield and good selectivity giving access to a novel range of cleft molecules capable of binding events. Reaction conditions for the selective functionalization of this carbocyclic cleft molecule are discussed as well as the solid state structures of these newly synthesized ligands.