Tuning Anion-Binding Properties of 22-Membered Unclosed Cryptands by Structural Modification of the Lariat Arm

[Image: see text] A series of 22-membered unclosed cryptands end-capped with intra-annular methyl (1), phenyl (2), p-tert-butylphenyl (3), and p-nitrophenyl (4) amide substituents (lariat arm) were synthesized to elucidate the effect of steric and electronic factors on their anion recognition behavior. The (1)H NMR titrations in DMSO-d(6) with 0.5% water reveal enhanced selectivity for H(2)PO(4)(–) vs Cl(–) and PhCO(2)(–). The para-attachment of the electron-withdrawing nitro group (−NO(2) vs −H and −t-Bu) was found to increase anion-binding affinity, whereas the steric bulkiness of lariat arm (methyl vs aryl) has a marginal effect. DFT calculations reveal that binding of H(2)PO(4)(–) is associated with minimal conformational change in the lariat arm moiety and involve four hydrogen bond acceptor and one donor sites of host.