Design and synthesis of new macrocyclic cyclophanes using 1,3-dioxane units as bridges: a molecular "rocking chair".

The design, synthesis and structural analysis of architecturally new cyclophanes (monomers, dimers, and trimers) are reported. Variable temperature NMR experiments reveal a regular, tandem dynamic in the cyclophane 2a that enables its description as a "molecular rocking chair". The NMR and X-ray structure investigations show important intra- and intermolecular aromatic pi-stacking interactions.