Highly efficient methods for the preparation of shape-persistent macrocyclics

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

It has been about 25 years since Staab prepared a hexameric phenyl–ethynyl macrocycle by the statistical cyclization of the copper salt of m-iodo-phenylacetylene in 4.6% yield. Since that time, different methodologies have been investigated that allow not only the preparation of selectively functionalized structures, but also their formation in high yields. The repetitive formation of precursors followed by an intramolecular cyclization is only one approach to these structures. Alternatives include the use of covalently or noncovalently bound templates, as well as cyclization under thermodynamic control.