Macrocyclic polyether- and polythioether-diesters and dithioesters from 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxylic acid

The synthesis of nine macrocyclic polyether- and polythioether-diesters 9–13 and dithioesters 14–17 derived from 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxylic acid are reported. The macrocycles were prepared under conditions of high dilution in the absence of metal templates in consistently good yields and their structures were confirmed by 1H and 13C nmr spectroscopy. A macrocyclic phenanthroline-pyridine tetraester 18 is also recorded.