Based on a regioselective tris-formylation of a tribenzotriquinacene (TBTQ) hydrocarbon, the racemic C(3)-symmetrical TBTQ-trialdehyde and the corresponding TBTQ-trimethanol were synthesized along with their C(1)-isomers. Conversion of the C(3)-trialdehyde to three diastereomeric TBTQ-based cryptophanes occurring in high yield enabled the preparation of the optically pure C(3)-symmetrical TBTQ-trialdehydes and the determination of their absolute configuration. The racemic C(3)-symmetrical TBTQ-trimethanol was found to form several stable nanotubular aggregates in the solid state.

The synthesis of several inherently chiral tribenzotriquinacenes (TBTQs) bearing one single mono- or difunctionalized aromatic nucleus and the optical resolution of one of these derivatives, a TBTQ-based salicylic acid (11), are described for the first time. Efficient access to enantiopure, inherently chiral tribenzotriquinacenes may lay a foundation for studies of novel container compounds, supramolecular aggregation, chiral recognition, and asymmetric catalysis.

Enantiomerically pure tribenzotriquinacenes (TBTQs) bearing two monofunctionalized aromatic nuclei were synthesized for the first time and their optical properties and absolute configuration determined. A remarkably regioselective bis-formylation of the fully bridgehead methylated parent TBTQ hydrocarbon with MeOCHCl(2)/TiCl(4) afforded a mixture of two C(s)-symmetrical (achiral) difunctionalized derivatives together with one C(1)-symmetrical (chiral) isomer. Reduction and subsequent column chromatography furnished the three respective benzylic TBTQ dialcohols. Optical resolution of the racemic 2,6-bis(hydroxymethyl) derivative was achieved via the diastereomeric (R)-1,1'-bi-2-naphthol ethers and the absolute configuration of the enantiomers was determined by CD exciton model analysis. The electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra and the specific rotation of the enantiomers were found to agree with the results of DFT calculations. Among the C(s)-symmetrical isomers, the "proximal" 2,11-dialdehyde and the corresponding benzylic dialcohol were identified by 2D NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallographic analysis, respectively, and used as the starting point for the synthesis of several novel dithiametacyclophanes. These include the first "dimeric" tribenzotriquinacene-based cyclophanes bearing the bowls of the two TBTQ units attached to each other in a syn (concave-concave) or anti (convex-concave) configuration. The usefulness of such thiacyclophanes as fluorescent chemosensors for different metal ions is also demonstrated.