Research Interests: Luciano Cuesta

Design and Synthesis of Polymetallic Complexes based on meso-Calix[4]pyrrole

Although calix[4]pyrroles (also called meso-octaalkylporphyrinogens) were discovered by Baeyer in 1886, they were not widely studied until recently, when they were rediscovered, first as versatile ligands (in their respective tetraanionic forms) and then as effective anion receptors. In particular, the coordination chemistry of the calix[4]pyrroles was extensively studied by Floriani and coworkers who showed that they are able to coordinate metal ions in a s and/or p manner depending on the nature of the metal. In spite of the rich p coordination displayed by these easy-to-prepare (and now commercially available) macrocycles, to the best of our knowledge, they have not been explored as ligands for the stabilization of multi-metallocene type species. While p surface metallation has been studied in a number of other systems and exploited for the synthesis of anion receptors, including calixarenes, cyclotetraveritol, and cryptophanes, extending this chemistry to include calix[4]pyrroles would offer an advantage in that further central metal complexation should be possible.