Hydroxytetraphenylenes, a new type of self-assembling building block and chiral catalyst.

Tetraphenylenes are structurally exceptional molecules with rigid conformations so that substituents of these compounds demonstrate highly directional dispositions. As such, these molecules are potential candidates for employment as organocatalysts or ligands in asymmetric synthesis. Careful design and manipulation of the structural features of tetraphenylenes should also lead to the formation of supramolecular helical scaffolds or other supermolecules with fascinating arrangements. We would like to present here a brief summary on the chemistry of some hydroxytetraphenylenes that were synthesized in our laboratories in Shanghai and Hong Kong. This article will serve as a preview of the chemistry of the tetraphenylene family that hopefully has the potential to emerge.