Synthesis of functionalized acenaphthenes and a new class of homooxacalixarenes.

The 5,6-dialkoxyethers of acenaphthene have been synthesized for the first time via modified Ullmann reaction conditions. Further modifications of the 5,6-dimethoxyacenaphthene allowed the synthesis of the first acenaphthene analogue of the octahomotetraoxacalixarenes. The X-ray structure of this new macrocycle and its complexation study with C(60) are reported.