Synthesis, Optoelectronic, and Supramolecular Properties of a Calix[4]arene-Cycloparaphenylene Hybrid Host.

A novel hybrid host has been obtained by fusion of the calix[4]arene skeleton with a cycloparaphenylene (CPP) ring. The CPP-bridged calix[4]arene 1 combines the optoelectronic and structural properties of the CPP rings with the recognition abilities of the calix[4]arene hosts. Thus, calix-CPP 1 shows an unexpected selectivity for the Li+ cation over Na+, as a result of more favorable cation···π interactions of Li+ with the CPP bridge and its better size complementarity.