Cooperative Anion‐π and C−H−Cl Interactions in Multifunctional Naphthalene‐Based Receptors for Chloride Recognition: Cage‐Size Modulation Through Substitution Patterns

Abstract

This article focuses on developing selective receptors for chloride. A series of novel receptors based on a rigid naphthalene spacer bearing tetrafluoropyridines (TFPs) in various substitution patterns has been designed and synthsized. The topology of the receptors was confirmed by X‐ray cristallography. Their complexation efficiency was essentially studied in the gas phase through mass spectrometry experiments. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations and NMR titration were also performed.