Selective Synthesis and Functionalization of an Acyclic Methylene-Bridged-Arene Trimer in a Cage.

Arene-formaldehyde condensation is a versatile reaction for producing various oligomeric/polymeric materials. However, the precise control of oligomerization degree is still challenging because the starting materials and intermediates have similar reactivities. Here, we demonstrate the selective synthesis of a methylene-bridged arene trimer using the confined cavity of a coordination cage. The limited space of the cavity prevents unregulated polymerization. The confinement effect for the kinetic protection is also demonstrated by the subsequent site-selective iodination of the trimer product within the cage.