In this work,w er eport that 2-cyano-2-phenylpropanoic acid and its p-Cl, p-CH 3 and p-OCH 3 derivatives can be used as chemical fuels to control the geometry of the calix[4]arene scaffold in its cone conformation. It is shownt hat, under the action of the fuel, the cone calix[4]arenep latform assumes a" locked" shape with two opposite aromatic rings strongly convergent and the other two strongly divergent ("pinched cone" conformation). Only when the fuel is exhausted , the cone calix[4]arene scaffold returnstoi ts resting, "unlocked" shape. Remarkably,t he duration of the "locked" state can be controlled at will by varying the fuel structure or amount. Ak inetics tudy of the process shows that the consume of the fuel is catalyzed by the "unlocked"c alixarene that behaves as an autocatalyst for its own production. Am echanism is proposed fort he reaction of fuel consumption.