Synthesis and optical resolution of inherently chiral difunctionalized tribenzotriquinacenes.

The synthesis of several inherently chiral tribenzotriquinacenes (TBTQs) bearing one single mono- or difunctionalized aromatic nucleus and the optical resolution of one of these derivatives, a TBTQ-based salicylic acid (11), are described for the first time. Efficient access to enantiopure, inherently chiral tribenzotriquinacenes may lay a foundation for studies of novel container compounds, supramolecular aggregation, chiral recognition, and asymmetric catalysis.