A facile approach to the preparation of bis-crown ethers based on SET-promoted photomacrocyclization reactions.

A novel methodology for the synthesis of bis-crown ethers has been developed. The preparative route takes advantage of an efficient single electron transfer promoted photomacrocyclization reaction of polyether branched bisphthalimides which contain alpha-trimethylsilylmethyl groups at terminal positions. The generality of the methodology was demonstrated by its application to the synthesis of symmetric and unsymmetric bis-crown ethers of various ring sizes. Finally, the metal cation binding and fluorescence emission properties of the bis-crowns, prepared by using the developed procedure, were briefly explored.