US Patent 10344005 Synthesis of cyclophanes for a self-assembly reaction

Disclosed herein is a novel method for preparing cyclophanes, comprising forming a disulfide cyclophane by contacting a linker moiety which includes two or more thiol groups, with a metal salt and an oxidant. The disulfide cyclophane is then desulfurized to form a thiacyclophane comprising thioether bridges. This thiacyclophane optionally may be further desulfurized to form an unsaturated hydrocarbon cyclophane, which can then be reduced to form a saturated hydrocarbon cyclophane. The various cyclophanes can be synthesized in a ring form, such as a dimer, trimer or tetramer etc., or they can be synthesized in a tetrahedral or larger structure. Also disclosed are novel cyclophanes formed by the disclosed method.