Phosphorylation of calix[4]resorcinarenes with long chain aliphatic radicals (R=C6, C,. C,) (1a,b,c) with a number of P(III) derivatives i.e. triamido- and diamidophosphites, triphenylphosphite, monoand polyhalogenides of P(III) is described. A series of phosphoamide cavitands (2), (3) were obtained. A new three-dimensional “container”- like structures, in which tetraresorcinol fragments are connected by means of phosphite bridges (13,14) were formed in the reaction of (Ib) with (-) bis(N,N-diethylamido)menthylphosphite, phosphorus trichloride and triphenylphosphite. Phosphorylation of calix[4]resorcinarene (1c) with chloroanhydrides of chloromethylphosphonic and bis(chloromethyl) phosphinic acids results in completely or partially posphorylated products depending on the reaction conditions. The synthesis of dimeric “head to head” macrocyclic derivative of chlormethylphosphonic acid (19) is described. Structures and properties of synthesized compounds were discussed on the basis of physical and quantum chemical methods.

Here, we report on the study of cationic amidoammonium calix[4]resorcinarenes 1–5 of various lipophilicity capable of binding acid–base indicator methyl orange (MO). We identified the contributions of macrocycle aggregation and conformational mobility in the binding of MO. The effective pK_a values of bound MO systematically decrease as the size and the packing density of the aggregates increase with an increase in calixresorcinarene lipophilicity. Consideration of a series of macrocycles clearly shows that large aggregates form most stable complexes, binding guests not on individual level but as aggregates. It was found that the most stable MO complex with 5 is formed due to electrostatic binding with ammonium groups of the macrocycle and incapsulation of MO in a hydrophobic layer of the aggregates. We have shown that competitive binding of MO and cationic surfactants by aggregates of 5 is suitable for visual/spectrophotometric detection of colourless anionic substrates.