5,11,17,23-Tetra- tert -butyl-25,26,27,28-tetrakis[2-(2-chloroethoxy)ethoxy]-2,8,14,20-tetrasulfonylcalix[4]arene

Molecules of the title compound, C56H76Cl4O16S4, have crystallographic C2 symmetry and adopt a 1,3-alternate conformation where the four -OCH2CH2OCH2CH2Cl groups are located alternately above and below the virtual plane (R) defined by the four bridging S atoms. The dihedral angles between the plane (R) and the phenolic rings are 72.85 (7) and 74.57 (7)°. An unusual 24-membered macrocyclic ring is formed in the crystal structure with an array of eight intramolecular C-H...O hydrogen bonds between the ether arm H atoms and the sulfonyl O atoms. In the supramolecular structure, the molecular components are linked into infinite zigzag one-dimensional chains by a combination of four intermolecular C-H...O hydrogen bonds, forming R22(13), R22(16), R22(21) and R22(26) ring motifs. These chains are augmented into a wave-like two-dimensional network by weak C...O interactions. One tert-butyl group shows rotational disorder, and one CH2CH2Cl group is disordered over two orientations; the site-occupation factors are 0.756 (6) and 0.244 (6) for the two tert-butyl groups, and 0.808 (3) and 0.192 (3) for the two CH2CH2Cl units.