Novel-1,3-Alternate Calix[4]thiacrown Ethers

A series of novel 1,3-alternate calix[4]-mono-thiacrown and -bis-thiacrowns were synhesized within good yields. The three dimensional 1,3-alternate conformation was confimed by X-ray crystal structure. From the results of two phase extraction and NMR studies on the ligand-metal complex, one can conclude that the calix[4]thiacrown ethers showed the very high selectivity for silver ion over other metal ions by an electrostatic interaction between sulfur atom and silver ion and by a π-metal complexation.